HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — George Clooney has received a lot of accolades over the years, but now he's being honored for his humanitarian work.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon designated the Oscar winner as a U.N. "messenger of peace" today to promote the world body's activities, especially in its far-flung peacekeeping missions.
Clooney, 46, has been campaigning for an end to the four-year war in Darfur and for humanitarian aid for the millions caught up in the conflict. He will become the ninth U.N. peace envoy.
While many U.N. agencies have goodwill ambassadors to promote activities ranging from helping children and refugees to promoting human rights, "messengers of peace" are selected by the secretary-general to promote the broader work of the United Nations.
Clooney joins Michael Douglas and musician Yo-Yo Ma as previous celebrity U.N. honorees. Clooney and friend Don Cheadle were given the Peace Summit Award by a group of Nobel Laureates on Dec. 13 for their work for Darfur.
With the help of Cheadle and Brad Pitt, Clooney has raised money for refugees through the "Not On Our Watch" charity and helped draw attention to the crisis in Darfur in western Sudan.
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