The beauty ambassador and humanitarian donned a bee suit to celebrate the French brand's Women for Bees partnership with UNESCO and OFA.
Angelina Jolie and Guerlain Want to Save the Bees—And Empower Female Beekeepers
“It’s a little hot,” says Angelina Jolie, acknowledging the sartorial perils of putting on a protective bee suit made of several layers of thick breathable mesh, in the middle of the summer, in the Sainte-Baume mountains outside of Marseilles. But the actor and humanitarian is undeterred by such occupational hazards. She’s also unbothered by the swarms of bees flying around the seven hives she is currently inspecting with the participants of Guerlain’s inaugural Women for Bees program, which ended its intensive one-month course earlier this week. Jolie has a history with the buzzy pollinators, having long understood their importance to our own existence. ”They are responsible for ⅓ of our food supply,” she explains of why their preservation is a part of the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which she started in Cambodia 17 years ago and named after her eldest son. But on Wednesday, while visiting l'Observatoire Français d'Apidologie (OFA)— former Chanel commercial manager Thierry Dufresne’s organization in Provence that is dedicated to safeguarding the life of bees—even Jolie was getting an education. As a brand ambassador for Guerlain, she was on hand for the Women for Bees graduation ceremony and to get a bit of immersion herself. “I tasted honey off the hive. That was exciting,” she beams. “It tastes much better.”
In keeping with the LVMH-owned beauty brand’s commitment to increasing its sustainability efforts, specifically around bees which have been a part of its heritage since its inception in 1828, Guerlain has partnered with OFA and UNESCO on an ambitious program to train 50 women beekeepers, from different biospheres, over five years. The effort, which launched in June, aims to re-populate 125 million bees by 2025. But in addition to helping reverse the devastating consequences climate change, pesticide use, and invasive species have had on the honeybee population, which has been all but decimated, the program also aims to create female-led employment and education opportunities in selected micro-economies. Following the training, Guerlain will outfit each participant with 50 hives and local swarms in their home countries. “It’s insane that we are often still in discussion about why girls' education is important. It's angering that we have to keep explaining this,” laments Jolie whose work as a Special Envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has given her a first-hand look at how supporting women and lifting them up can support entire communities. “These kinds of things make a difference in how women can become less vulnerable and in some cases even survive this life.”
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Celia Ellenberg
