Angelina Jolie, a Special Envoy for the U.N. Refugee Agency, delivered an impassioned speech in London on Monday as part of the BBC’s World on the Move Day. During the 17-minute presentation, Jolie first discussed the ongoing debate about the growing refugee crisis that has polarized Western nations.
She then laid out a four-part plan for what she sees as a “once in a generation moment when nations have to pull together. How we respond will determine whether we create a more stable world, or face decades of more instability.” While her speech painted the refugee crisis in mostly broad—albeit pointed—strokes,
many listeners interpreted it to have a few pointed digs at presidential hopeful Donald Trump, about whom Jolie was directly questioned during the event.
“To me, America is built on people from around the world coming together for freedoms, especially freedom of religion. So it’s hard to hear this is coming from someone who is pressing to be an American president,” Jolie said when she was asked what she thinks about presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.
Jolie stressed repeatedly that many policymakers’ attitudes towards refugees are diametrically opposed, “With, on one hand, people calling for open borders, and on the other hand, for the complete exclusion of all refugees—or worse, certain groups of refugees,” Jolie said. “We could fail the basic test of humanity if we discriminate between refugees based on religion, race, or ethnicity. When I meet a refugee, I do not see a Muslim refugee, or a Christian refugee, or a Yazidi. I see a mother, or a father, or a son, or a daughter: A person with an equal right to stand in dignity on this planet.”