Angelina Jolie, 46, is officially on Instagram — and she has a very important message to share. The Oscar winner launched her own account on the social media platform on Friday (Aug. 20), and her first very post featured a heartbreaking letter that she received from a teenage girl in Afghanistan. The girl, whose name was blurred out by Angelina, detailed her fears of losing her rights amidst the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. See the full letter below.
Alongside the letter, Angelina wrote a lengthy and emotional message to her followers about the current happenings in Afghanistan. “Right now, the people of Afghanistan are losing their ability to communicate on social media and to express themselves freely,” she said. “So I’ve come on Instagram to share their stories and the voices of those across the globe who are fighting for their basic human rights.”
The Eternals actress went on to share that she met Afghan refugees who were escaping the Taliban at the country’s border just two weeks before the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. “It is sickening to watch Afghans being displaced yet again out of the fear and uncertainty that has gripped their country,” she said. “To spend so much time and money, to have blood shed and lives lost only to come to this, is a failure almost impossible to understand. Watching for decades how Afghan refugees – some of the most capable people in the world – are treated like a burden is also sickening. Knowing that if they had the tools and respect, how much they would do for themselves. And meeting so many women and girls who not only wanted an education, but fought for it,” Angelina added
Angelina, who does incredible work as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees — which has allowed her to visit refugee camps in places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan and more — vowed to continue helping those in need when it comes to the Afghan refugees. “Like others who are committed, I will not turn away,” she said. “I will continue to look for ways to help. And I hope you’ll join me.”
The ongoing crisis in Afghanistan has led many famous faces, like Angelina, to speak out publicly on the escalating situation. Most notably, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle released a join statement on Aug. 17 and said they “were left speechless” over the Taliban takeover. The couple also mentioned the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and said that “the world is exceptionally fragile right now.”