UNHCR GOODWILL Ambassador Angelina Jolie yesterday visited some of the 10,000 Syrian refugees who fled the violence in their home country and are staying in makeshift camps in Turkey.

But how do you become a UN Goodwill Ambassador?

Ambassadors are chosen for a range of UN offices, from its Food and Agriculture Organisation (which has an Irish ambassador – check out the slideshow below), to its refugee agency.  According to the UN, fame plays a major part in the selection process.

UNICEF says its ambassadors are chosen on the basis that they have already demonstrated a commitment to improving the lives of children worldwide, but it adds that celebrity status helps attract attention to the issues the organisation wants to highlight. UNICEF’s past ambassadors include Hollywood stars Danny Kaye and Audrey Hepburn.

The UNHCR says that its ambassadors are the public face of the organisation and they “help bring UNHCR to every corner of the world through their celebrity, popularity, influence and hard work”.

Ambassadors are chosen on national, regional and international levels. Ireland has three International Goodwill Ambassadors, as shown in the photos below.

Gallery: Check out some of the UN’s current International Goodwill Ambassadors: