Actress and TV host Kris Aquino has agreed to the offer of the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees’ (UNHCR) to be an “honorary patron” for the Asian continent.
According to the UNHCR, “Honorary Patrons are prominent individuals from the worlds of arts, sciences, literature, entertainment, sport or other fields of public life who have expressed their desire to contribute to UNHCR’s efforts to raise awareness about aims, objectives and priorities of the organization and convey messages about its activities and to extend it public outreach.”
The UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador is Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie.
Aside from Aquino, other UNHCR honorary patrons are Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls, author Khaled Hosseini, and award-winning Chinese actress Yao Chen. .
Aquino, the President’s youngest sister, said her family has similar experience with Luol Deng and Khaled Hosseini.
In 1980, the Aquino family was forced to flee the country and live in the United States to escape the martial law of then-President Ferdinand Marcos. Her father, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was a staunch critic of the Marcos dictatorship.
Aquino said she is looking forward to doing good work with UNHCR in the next two years.
