Angelina Jolie, 44, has raised her children to be cosmopolitan travelers like herself, and did not leave them out on the latest excursion: a visit to Ethiopia. But this trip is extra special for the Maleficent star, since it’s the country where she adopted Zahara Jolie-Pitt, who’s now 14 years old, in 2005. To pay homage to the sentimental reason behind this holiday vacation, Angelina and Zahara visited Ethiopia’s own president on Dec. 30: Sahle-Work Zewde, the first female to be given the country’s highest political office!
Angelina and Zahara dressed up for the honor, and the mother-daughter duo matched in lovely, billowing white dresses. Angelina’s other daughter, Shiloh, 13, also met the esteemed president alongside her mother and sister. They all hugged President Zewde, as seen in a television broadcast from EBC.
There’s a reason Angelina has returned to Ethiopia, years after that life-changing visit 15 years ago. “Angelina Jolie has taken the kids on a trip to Ethiopia, they left a couple of days ago. It’s where Zahara was born, so it’s important to Angelina that they keep the connection strong,” an Angelina source EXCLUSIVELY told HollywoodLife. As for how Angelina plans to accomplish that goal, our source adds, “They’ll be doing sightseeing and getting to know more about her beautiful birth country.” This trip couldn’t have come at a better time, since Zahara will be ringing in her 15th birthday in just a little over a week: Jan. 8!
Angelina and her children have stuck close throughout the holidays! Before leaving the U.S., the actress was seen taking her 11-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne shopping in Glendale, CA on the day before Christmas Eve. A day before that, Angelina checked out the stores with Zahara and Shiloh, and we couldn’t help but notice how the latter is almost as tall as her mom! Despite her seemingly never-ceasing filming schedule, Angelina always takes the time to make her children feel special.