Actress Angelina Jolie opens another school in Afghanistan

Meena Haseeb writes April 2, 2013, that film actress and director Angelina Jolie, through her foundation The Education Partnerhsip for Children of Conflict, has opened another school in Afghanistan. It is a girls-only educational establishment. The school is just outside the capital of Kabul and caters to between 200 to 300 students and Angelina hopes it will be the first of many schools she sets up. She also funded a girl’s school in eastern Afghanistan that opened in 2010.

Jolie plans to pay for the schools by selling a “Style of Jolie” jewelry line that she helped create with jewelry maker Robert Procop. Procop designed the engagement ring given to the actress by her partner Brad Pitt in April 2012.

Jolie quoted in media reports said, “Beyond enjoying the artistic satisfaction of designing the jewelery we are inspired by knowing our work is also serving to provide for children in need.”

Speaking of other matters in other parts of the world, on Syria, she said: “I am very concerned, the world is very concerned. What is very heartbreaking is when Syrian people ask you why you think no one is able to find a solution for them.”

“What they described on the ground, hearing it from them is so horrific. When you meet so many innocent people and civilians, the people of Syria are asking who is on their side, ‘Who is going to help us as the months go on?”

According to the Style of Jolie website, the newly expanded collection includes versions of the black and gold necklace that the actress wore to the premiere of her 2010 action movie “Salt,” a pear-shaped citrine and gold necklace, and rose gold and emerald tablet-shaped rings, earrings and bracelets.

Report based on a news release of Khaama Press, an Afghan online newspaper

Madonna to auction art for Afghan, Pakistani girls

Pop star Madonna and Sotheby’s announced Wednesday the auction of a Cubist masterpiece by French artist Fernand Leger to support an education project for girls in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The painting “Trois femmes a la table rouge,” estimated worth $5-7 million, will go on sale in New York on May 7, with proceeds going to the Ray of Light Foundation.

Madonna, who has become enormously wealthy as an entertainer, said she wanted to help “countries where female education is rare or non-existent. I cannot accept a world where women or girls are wounded, shot or killed for either going to school or teaching in girls’ schools.”

“I want to trade something valuable for something invaluable – educating girls,” she said.

Madonna has owned the painting since 1990. It goes on view in Hong Kong and London before returning to New York in time to join the spring evening sale of Impressionist and modern art.

In a show of particular concern for Pakistan, Madonna was particularly moved by the targeted killing of Shahnaz Nazli – a female school teacher who was gunned down in a drive-by shooting. Khyber Agency.

On her Facebook page, Madonna shared a photo of Nazli with a statement: “Shahnaz Nazli shot down on the way to school. Murdered for teaching girls in Pakistan! This is why I want to start a Revolution! A Revolution of Tolerance!”

In 2012, Madonna dedicated a song to Malala Yousafzai, the 14-year-old who was targeted by a militant group in Swat.

“The 14-year-old schoolgirl wrote a blog about going to school. The Taliban stopped her bus and shot her. Do you realize how sick that is?” Madonna said and shouted during a concert: “Support education! Support women!”

Later, Madonna performed an on-stage striptease to reveal “Malala” stenciled across her back while saying: “This song is for you, Malala”, she began singing Human Nature.

This report is based on news from South Asian Media.net