Joining forces with Guerlain and UNESCO, the 'Eternals' actress unveils a new program in which women will be trained to become beekeepers that take care for endangered bees.
- March 8, 2021
AceShowbiz - Angelina Jolie has teamed up with bosses at Guerlain and UNESCO to unveil a new program centered around the world's bee population.
To mark International Women's Day on Monday, March 8, the initiative, fronted by the actress, will empower women caring for endangered bees, with the goal of having 2,500 hives built in 25 UNESCO biosphere reserves by 2025.
Those who sign up for the program, named Women for Bees, will be trained to become beekeepers. These women will go through 30-day training at the Massif de la Sainte-Baume in France's Provence every year over the course of five years.
"When women gain skills and knowledge, their instinct is to help raise others," Angelina says in a statement. "I'm excited to meet the women taking part in this program from all over the world."
"I look forward to getting to know them and learning about their culture and environment, and the role bees play in that," she continues. "I hope the training will strengthen their independence, their livelihoods and their communities."
The first women to be trained as part of the initiative will come from Cambodia, where Jolie runs a foundation to support the local community.
"Guerlain have a genuine commitment to the environment, sustainable development and the communities they work with," she adds. "That's what brought us together, and Women for Bees is a wonderful extension of that."
Speaking of the program, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay says, "The 'Women for Bees' program not only highlights our interdependence with other living species, but also encourages women to be 'designers of change' to create, educate and experiment with sustainable beekeeping in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as a way of living on Earth in harmony with other species."
