Angelina Jolie’s Visit to Kherson
During the ongoing war, actress Angelina Jolie traveled to Kherson, a trip that carried deep significance for the local community. The visit, coordinated with the help of humanitarian teams active in the region, was arranged after Jolie consulted with photographer and humanitarian worker Giles Duley. Kherson was selected specifically because Duley’s organization operates ambulance services there, ensuring both safety and logistical support throughout the actress’s stay.
Jolie had previously visited Ukraine in the spring of 2022, when she went to Lviv to meet with displaced people and tour a medical facility—a clear sign of her sustained engagement with the country’s humanitarian crisis. As Giles Duley noted,
“I met with her in London shortly before her trip, and she asked my advice on where she should go. She is a true humanitarian. Her sensitivity and compassion for people… She always wants to understand how people are living through war.”
Why Kherson Was Chosen
The choice of Kherson was no accident. Duley explained that because their ambulances operate in that city, he knew he could reliably ensure Jolie’s safety.
“So we suggested Kherson, because that’s where our ambulances are working. I knew that there we could take good care of her. And it was a place where she would truly understand what life is like for people on the front lines in Ukraine,” he said.
Jolie’s presence in Kherson lifted spirits among locals. Duley received many messages, including from soldiers on the front lines, who shared how much it meant to see the actress there. 'They told me how happy it made them to see her there, under the anti-drone netting, genuinely grasping the reality of the situation,' he recounted. Residents described a palpable sense of uplift in Kherson during her visit.
In a lighter but telling moment, Duley also treated Jolie to pickled tomatoes he had brought from Kharkiv, made by a grandmother named Lyuba. 'I cooked for her in New York. I hosted an event at her Atelier Jolie center in New York about two years ago. For the first course, I served pickled tomatoes that I brought from Kharkiv from a grandmother named Lyuba. She tasted them,' Duley added.
Angelina Jolie continues her work supporting humanitarian initiatives, and her visits to Ukraine serve as powerful events that draw global attention to the country’s dire situation.
Her trip underscores the importance of international solidarity for Ukraine during wartime, especially through humanitarian aid. Such celebrity attention can help raise awareness of the challenges faced by local residents and attract additional resources for their support. This visit became a symbol of solidarity and hope, crucial for the morale of a region enduring extremely difficult times.