George Clooney Gets U.N. Role

Takes On New Job As Official Messenger Of Peace

(AP)  In his new role as U.N. messenger of peace, George Clooney was playing himself.

The 46-year-old actor arrived Thursday at the United Nations, joking and shaking hands and repeating "Hi guys!" as he stepped past hundreds of curious U.N. employees.

Clooney toured U.N. headquarters for a ceremony and to get a new lapel pin marking his designation for the special job from Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

He was just back from a two-week trip to 19 locations in Sudan's Darfur region, the Central African Republic, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo, arriving in the U.S. by way of India, a major contributor of U.N. peacekeeping troops, U.N. officials said.

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Photos: Clooney At The U.N.

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As the ninth U.N. peace envoy, the Oscar winner (best supporting actor for "Syriana") was selected for his ability to focus public attention on critical international political and social issues. He told reporters it was a tremendous honor for him.

"I am very proud to be here as a messenger of peace, and the message is: That the world is watching, and that at this point we cannot afford to fail," he said. "There's a lot more responsibility with this one than with an Oscar, which all you really have to do is, you know, drink after the party."

Clooney took on the job of promoting the world body's peacekeeping missions after waging his own campaigns for an end to the 4 1/2-year war in Darfur and for more humanitarian aid for the millions caught up in the conflict.

He is a co-founder of Not on Our Watch, a humanitarian group that focuses global attention on Darfur's people and has raised more than $9.3 million for the region.

Other messengers of peace are Michael Douglas, Elie Wiesel, Jane Goodall, Yo-Yo Ma, Daniel Barenboim, Paulo Coelho, Midori Goto and Princess Haya of Jordan.

Clooney said he plans to focus his attention on Darfur and other spots he knows best, but has ambitions to travel broadly in his U.N. role.

On his first trip this month as a U.N. messenger of peace, he joined Jane Holl Lute, the assistant secretary general of peacekeeping operations, as part of "a technical assessment mission" visiting the joint African Union-United Nations peacekeeping operation in Darfur and the U.N. missions in the other nations.

"It was planned in secret for obvious security reasons, and worse yet they might have seen some of my films," Clooney said.

He was accompanied on his visit to U.N. headquarters by his parents, Nick and Nina Clooney.

"I am the son of a newsman, so the job of messenger comes with the responsibility to deal with facts, not to tell people what they want to hear, but to tell them what the truth is, unfiltered," Clooney said.

[libsluvsuvs]

you dont need to have oil to be exploited, just ask george..poverty is more lucrative..TIME FOR ANOTHER LIBERAL LIVE8 CONCERT..

dictator''s debts needs to be forgiven..running a chaotic nation is not cheap..

[drewpopo99]

Surprise! A reliable source said George Clooney posted a profile at a celebs dating site named Richromances.com. Many celebrities and beautiful people are looking for fun. This guy is a certified millionaire over there.

[rgmiron]

You sure have a "tough row to hoe" in Africa George. Better you then me, I have given up on that entire continent. I feel for the innocent and hope that order will prevail but if history is any indication of what you can expect..... I just hope you can make it home alive. You have truly taken on a monumental challenge, Good Luck!!!!!

[catbilllou]

George found out about his appointment while cleaning the Batcave

[speakinup]

.


Seriously. Had Geroge Clooney been killed by a terrorists, I wonder what the repecussions would have been for say Hanoi Jane, Sean Pencilneck, Barbell Streisand, and other Michael Moore would have reacted.

[speakinup]

Too bad he didn''t get to meet a terrorist in person so he could exlain his point of view.


Where''s a good terrorist when you need one ?

[plusbbcather]

It''s great that George Clooney and those like him evoke such discussions nowadays.GC really does help to further the cause of international understanding which I admire him greatly for.
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[runningralph]

MVvet,
I don''t know Clooney or what he believes, either. What I do know is that the Janjaweed are a bunch of murderous Islamic jihadists with the backing of the Sudanese government. Do you believe Clooney can go smiling and waving into the UN and these fanatics will care? Or even notice? The only way to stop these people is to fight them. Smiling and waving won''t get it.

[ainventor]

Clooney goes to that country on a regular basis. He simply found a way for the tax payers to pay for his trips.

[olebd]

Awww, isn''t hims cute, pretending to have a real job. Let''s see him go to Kenya and stick himself in the middle of that mess and see how long he lasts. Money and fame must bring a false sense of super powers.

[mcvet]

Oh yeah, all we need a another Hollywood wanna be(aka ***) preaching to another country. How about putting your frickin efforts here in the good ole USA Mr. Clooney( AKA LOONEY)
Posted by garsong at 01:05 AM : Feb 01, 2008

It''s just like a clock. As certain as something good happens to an American that DOES NOT agree with the "Party", one of these wacked out Nazi''s will be on here attacking them. He doesn''t know Clooney and has NO idea in the world what he believes or cares about... it doesn''t matter. This give''s him a chance to attack one of their hate targets, in this case Hollywood so ATTACK him this swastika hugging moron does. I do wish they would find some new lines though... are you in the reich LISTENING? Give these bootlickers some NEW lines... they all sound the same things but something new would help. SIEG HEIL Y''ALL

[irliberal]

Oh please, what''s next, Britney in Iraq? The only US citizen I really want to send there is GW Bush. Or perhaps Limbaugh.

A message of peace is a good thing. There are better qualified people to do it than George Clooney, however.

[sophielhu]

I''''m sure the janjaweed will jump off their horses and lay down their weapons when the hear this big bad movie actor is coming after them.
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[garsong-2009]

Oh yeah, all we need a another Hollywood wanna be(aka ***) preaching to another country. How about putting your frickin efforts here in the good ole USA Mr. Clooney( AKA LOONEY)

[runningralph]

If Clooney could get Schwartzenegger in with him he might get the janjaweed''s attention.

[rohink-2009]

Further proof that the U.N. is worthless. What started out to be a positive has turned into a joke.

btw, I had no respect for the U.N. prior to them offering the self absorbed egomaniac Mr. Clooney his "Messenger of Peace" title

[runningralph]

I''m sure the janjaweed will jump off their horses and lay down their weapons when the hear this big bad movie actor is coming after them.