Humanitarian of the Week: Audrey Hepburn

Taking care of children has nothing to do with politics. I think perhaps with time, instead of there being a politicization of humanitarian aid, there will be a humanization of politics.

--Audrey Hepburn

Enchanting, ethereal and elfish, Audrey Hepburn remains a sentimental favorite of people of many different generations. She redefined elegance through her work in film and her interest in fashion. Her acting with sensitive, yet powerful, and she was undoubtedly a master of her art.

Born in Belgium in 1929, young Audrey had dreams of becoming a prima ballerina. However, the Second World War turned her life and the lives of her family upside down. Audrey never forgot the atrocities that she saw during the war, and the admiration she felt for those who braved the battle-scarred lands to offer aid and comfort to suffering people. She vowed that she would one day offer such kindness to people in need.

With her desire to dance a seeming impossibility, Audrey began to take modeling jobs, becoming increasingly comfortable in front of the camera, until one day, Hollywood came calling. We all know how that turned out. With twenty-five lovely film performances to her credit, Miss Hepburn is forever burned into our collective imaginations.

Though successful as an actress, Audrey craved success as a human being and felt that the most important part of her life was giving back to others. After retiring from film, Miss Hepburn was appointed Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). She had worked with UNICEF since the 1950’s, however, she relished the chance to become more physically involved and soon embarked on several worldwide journeys to assist children who were faced with poverty and famine. She worked up until her premature death from cancer in 1993.

In 1994, Miss Hepburn’s sons founded The Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund so that their mother’s work could continue. Audrey Hepburn was a true pioneer—a beautiful and talented woman who defined herself by what she could do, not what she did for a living. Her efforts paved the way for other humanitarians who yearned to make a difference in the lives of their fellow humans. For this reason, Audrey Hepburn is our “Humanitarian of the Week.”