20 November 2015
Newsdesk
British actor Orlando Bloom is to be honoured for his charity work by bosses at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The Pirates of the Caribbean star was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2009, and he has since travelled to destinations across the world to raise awareness of the charity's good work.
Earlier this year (15), he put his life on the line by visiting an area ravaged by the Ebola virus in Liberia, while he also travelled to Macedonia to meet refugees who have fled the ongoing conflict in Syria.
UNICEF chiefs have now decided to honour Orlando's achievements by presenting him with the Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award at the organisation's upcoming Snowflake Ball in New York City next month (Dec15).
The prize is named after late Hollywood legend Audrey Hepburn, who began working with UNICEF in the 1950s and spent years tirelessly campaigning on behalf of the organisation and taking part in charity missions all over the world.
Orlando will be presented with the prize during the glitzy event in the Big Apple on 1 December (15) which will feature a performance by pop star Pink.
The actor recently opened up about his experiences in Macedonia meeting children who have fled their homes to escape war zones.
"These children have travelled through one of the deadliest refugee and migrant routes in the world," he wrote in a UNICEF press release. "I talked to children who endured terrifying journeys, often in extreme weather conditions and for many, walking in the only shoes and clothes they have...
"They are being shuttled from one authority to another, crossing numerous borders, uncertain of the risks ahead... If they arrive safely at their final destination, they still fear an uncertain future. We need to protect and support them."
Orlando was recently honoured for his philanthropic work by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Los Angeles (BAFTA Los Angeles) with the Britannia Humanitarian Award.
"At BAFTA Los Angeles, we recognise that our industry's power to raise social awareness and push for change is enormous. Orlando Bloom's incredible work with UNICEF and many other charities demonstrates that immense power, and he has consistently gone above and beyond as an active, engaged campaigner for real solutions to urgent global issues," said BAFTA LA chairman Kieran Breen.
He received his trophy at the 2015 Jaguar Land Rover British Academy Britannia Awards on 30 October (15).
