Angelina Jolie has been named the “godmother” of the new beekeeping program.
Angelina Jolie
The ‘Maleficent’ star has teamed up with the 2021 Women for Bees program to be named the initiative’s “godmother”, which will see her meet with the women taking part in the scheme and training to be beekeepers.
The scheme’s goal is to have trained 50 women within the next five years, as well as building 2,500 hives in 25 Unesco biosphere reserves, and restocking 125 million bees.
In a statement, Angelina – who will meet the beekeepers in training and track their progress – said: “When women gain skills and knowledge their instinct is to help raise others. 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. I hope the training will strengthen their independence, their livelihoods, and their communities.”
The 25 Unesco biosphere reserves are located in countries including France, Italy, Russia, Slovenia, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and China.
According to Harper’s Bazaar, the program will take 30 days to complete and will begin in June this year at the French Observatory of Apidology (OFA) in Provence.
The publication reported: “The training will be led by the OFA, aimed to teach participants about running their own apiaries, the protocols to sustain their bee colonies, how to become professional beekeeper-entrepreneurs, and more.”
Angelina’s involvement in the program comes as the latest humanitarian cause the actress has championed.
The 45-year-old star is known for her support of various social causes, and has worked with the United Nations (UN) on a number of humanitarian aid missions, including being named the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) special envoy.
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