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Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

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Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Featureflash posted a photo:

Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Featureflash posted a photo:

Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Featureflash posted a photo:

Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Featureflash posted a photo:

Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Featureflash posted a photo:

Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Featureflash posted a photo:

Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Featureflash posted a photo:

Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Featureflash posted a photo:

Jessica Biel at the world premiere of her new movie "Valentine's Day" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood..February 8, 2010 Los Angeles, CA.Picture: Paul Smith / Featureflash

Xavier Rashid posted a photo:

Jessica Biel

UNHCR posted a photo:

Jessica Biel sits at a desk in the school at Kebribeyah camp.
UNHCR / K. Gebre Egziabher / January 2010

Celebrities visit refugee camp in Ethiopia after scaling Kilimanjaro

KEBRIBEYAH REFUGEE CAMP, Ethiopia, January 18 (UNHCR) ? Fresh from climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, actress Jessica Biel and musicians Kenna and Santi White, have visited a refugee camp in Ethiopia to see how water shortages affect the lives of millions of forcibly displaced people across Africa.

The American entertainers, together with Elizabeth Gore, executive director of global partnerships at the United Nations Foundation, toured Kebribeyah Refugee Camp last Friday, three days after scaling Africa's highest peak. The camp in eastern Ethiopia hosts some 16,500 Somali refugees who have fled persecution and conflict in their country.

The "Summit on the Summit," was organized by Kenna to highlight global water shortages, which affect more than 1 billion people, and to raise funds for UNHCR and other organizations helping to meet the water needs of the vulnerable. Others in the climb included actors Emile Hirsch and Isabel Lucas, rapper Lupe Fiasco, conservationist and explorer Alexandra Cousteau, environmentalist Kick Kennedy and award-winning photographers Michael Muller and Jimmy Chin.

In Kebribeyah, Biel and her VIP colleagues saw and heard how shortages of clean water affect all aspects of life in the camp while also gaining insight into how water shortages are tackled by organizations like the UN refugee agency.

"When I became a refugee in 1991, we hardly had two litres of water per person per day; we now get up to 15 litres a day, but that is still far from being sufficient." Habiba Ali Oumer, a refugee representative, told the visitors. She urged them to help. UNHCR is constantly looking at ways to boost water supply. The daily recommended consumption is 15-20 litres per person per day.

"I am really taken by the resilience of the Somali refugees," a visibly touched Biel said after listening to Oumer. "I want to ensure that all those kids I met in the camp school continue to get clean water," she added.

The celebrities spent the whole day visiting the camp infrastructure installed by UNHCR, including the school. "When I grow up, I would like to do something worthwhile for myself, my family and my country," one young student told Biel.

Money raised by the "Summit on the Summit" campaign will be distributed through the UN Foundation to UNHCR and several other groups, including the Children's Safe Drinking Water Programme (CSDW) and Water For People and Playpumps International. The Foundation's Gore said people could continue donating until Word Water Day on March 22, "by which time we expect to raise enough resources to cover the needs we saw in the camp, and perhaps more needs in other camps in Ethiopia."

Ethiopian-born Kenna, whose uncle died of a water-borne disease, was impressed by what he saw in Kebribeyah. "I'm particularly happy to learn that UNHCR runs the water system for the refugees in partnership with the local Ethiopian authorities," he said, pledging to raise enough to upgrade and maintain the system.

UNHCR Deputy Representative in Ethiopia Cosmas Chanda said provision of water was a critical element of UNHCR's protection work and his office welcomed the keen interest shown in the plight of refugees by such high-profile personalities. "We welcome their effort in fund-raising on behalf of refugees."

The eastern region of Ethiopia, where UNHCR helps some 60,000 Somali refugees in four camps, is dominated by semi-arid lowlands with an annual average rainfall of 300mm-500mm. There are no permanent rivers running through the sites where the refugees are staying. Providing adequate amounts of safe drinking water is a daily struggle for UNHCR and its partners.

The inhabitants of Kebribeyah depend on the Jarrar Valley Water Supply System, which pipes water to the camp from a distance of some 20 kilometres. Two of the system's six boreholes have been connected to the national electricity grid in recent months, making supply of water to the camp more reliable. When the project is complete, the daily supply per person should rise to 20 litres. Increasing the number of water points in the camp is another challenge.

By Kisut Gebre Egziabher in Kebribeyah Refugee Camp, Ethiopia

jmaichang posted a photo:

jmaichang.blogspot.com/2010/01/jessica-biel-in-vogue-febr...

I've never seen any episodes of 7th Heaven (never was a fan) but I love Jessica Biel for her fashion sense. She's appearing in the upcoming Vogue (February 2010) at the helm with Mario Testino. You can read the article here. I can't wait to see her in the movie A-Team because that was actually a show that I did watch.

UNHCR posted a photo:

Refugees collecting water at the Jijiga resettlement screening center, Kebribeyah refugee camp in Ethiopia.
UNHCR / F. Courbet / December 2008

Celebrities reach Kilimanjaro summit in hike to highlight water shortages, help refugees

GENEVA, January 13 (UNHCR) ? American film stars Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch and other celebrities have scaled Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, to raise awareness about global shortages of drinking water and to raise money for UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations.

"The Summit on the Summit team has reached the top of Mt Kili! A great moment captured," said a tweet sent from the mountain's highest point, 19,340-foot Uhuru Peak, on Tuesday morning and carried on the official expedition web site. The climbers, who set off up Kilimanjaro last Thursday, are now on their way back down.

Those climbing alongside Biel and Hirsch include rapper Lupe Fiasco, conservationist and explorer Alexandra Cousteau, environmentalist Kick Kennedy, award-winning photographers Michael Muller and Jimmy Chin, singer Santi White and actress Isabel Lucas.

Acclaimed Ethiopian-born musician Kenna, the mastermind behind the "Summit on the Summit," is leading the hike. His uncle died of a water-borne disease, while his father also fell ill from drinking dirty water as a child in his native Ethiopia. Elizabeth Gore, executive director of global partnerships at the United Nations Foundation, is among others taking part.

The main aim of the "Summit on the Summit" is to raise public awareness about the global clean water crisis, which affects more than 1 billion people around the world, including hundreds of thousands of forcibly displaced people of concern to the UN refugee agency. Many of them live in Africa.

The group of celebrity climbers, well padded against the cold, posed on Uhuru Peak with a banner reading: "Send Water."

The climb will also raise funds to be distributed through the UN Foundation to several groups, including UNHCR, the Children's Safe Drinking Water Programme (CSDW) and Water For People and Playpumps International.

The route to the top of the world's tallest free-standing mountain took the climbers through savannah, tropical jungle, alpine pasture, moorland, desert, snowfields and glacial landscapes, according to the official expedition website.

The last 48 hours were the toughest and coldest, with the team braving a snowstorm the day before they headed for the top. After 10,000 feet the risk of altitude sickness increases, and fatigue sets in. The symptoms vary from headache, dizziness and nausea to lethargy and euphoria.

The team, who have been sending status updates, tweets, photographs and videos at regular intervals, were clearly delighted to reach the summit. "Emotional scene at top with hugging & crying. Amazing feat and successful in raising awareness," tweeted Greg Allwood, director of CSDW.

Members of the public can also make donations through the web site, sponsoring every foot of Kilimanjaro. Biel, Kenna, Gore and some of the other climbers are scheduled to visit a refugee camp in Ethiopia on Friday where UNHCR runs water projects that benefit the forcibly displaced as well as local communities.

Summit on the Summit website
summitonthesummit.com/#/intro

United Nations Foundation website
www.unfoundation.org/

President Kang posted a photo:

Again, another US actress about whom I know more or less nothing, besides that she looks good in jeans.

UNHCR posted a photo:

The main aim of the "Summit on the Summit" is to raise public awareness about the global clean water crisis, which affects more than 1 billion people around the world. Sheder refugee camp in Ethiopia.
UNHCR / F. Courbet / December 2008

Stars hike up Kilimanjaro to highlight global water shortages, raise funds for UNHCR and others

GENEVA, January 8 (UNHCR) ? Celebrities from the entertainment field, including actors Jessica Biel and Emile Hirsch, are climbing 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness about global shortages of drinking water and to raise money for UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies.

The party set off on Thursday afternoon on the Lemosho route and reached the Shira Camp, where they spent their first night at more than 11,000 feet on Africa's highest mountain. They expect to reach the summit at Uhuru Peak on Tuesday morning before heading back down the mountain.

Those climbing alongside Biel and Hirsch include rapper Lupe Fiasco, conservationist and explorer Alexandra Cousteau, environmentalist Kick Kennedy, award-winning photographers Michael Muller and Jimmy Chin, singer Santi White and actress Isabel Lucas.

Acclaimed musician Kenna, the mastermind behind the "Summit on the Summit," is leading the hike, driven by the knowledge that his father suffered badly from a water-borne disease while a child in his native Ethiopia. Elizabeth Gore, executive director of global partnerships at the United Nations Foundation, is among others taking part.

The main aim of the "Summit on the Summit" is to raise public awareness about the global clean water crisis, which affects more than 1 billion people around the world, including hundreds of thousands of forcibly displaced people of concern to the UN refugee agency. Many of them live in Africa.

The climb will also raise funds to be distributed through the UN Foundation to several groups, including UNHCR, the Children's Safe Drinking Water Programme and Water For People and Playpumps International.

The route to the top of the world's tallest free-standing mountain will take the climbers through savannah, tropical jungle, alpine pasture, moorland, desert, snowfields and glacial landscapes, according to the official expedition website.

"The climb isn't easy. After 10,000 feet the risk of altitude sickness increases, and fatigue sets in. The symptoms vary from headache, dizziness and nausea to lethargy and euphoria, keeping many from reaching the summit," the site says, adding: "The last day [on the way up], in sub-zero temperatures and at the highest elevation, will be the toughest."

The climbers will post blogs, status updates, tweets, photographs and videos at regular intervals as they progress up the mountain. Members of the public can also make donations through the web site, sponsoring every foot of Kilimanjaro.

Summit on the Summit website

summitonthesummit.com/

jljackson5 posted a photo:

06-03-09 New York City, NY

Actress Jessica Biel and actor Zach Galifianakis at the 'Late Show With David Letterman' in New York City...

Non-Exclusive Pix by Flynet ?2009
818-307-4813 Nicolas
323-974-6007 Jay
310-466-8617 Scott

The Slighted posted a photo:

drinjecto posted a photo:

She's a good shot! & Flexing her guns!

drinjecto posted a photo:

Does she look HOT! with that bow.