The Oscar-winning Australian actress will be an official representative of the United Nations around the world.

Oscar-winning Australian actress Cate Blanchett has been appointed as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations. The announcement follows Blanchett’s recent trip to Jordan to observe the humanitarian crisis unfolding there as thousands of refugees flee Syria.

Blanchett joins the ranks of A-list celebrities on the UN’s International Ambassadors and Advocates list, which includes Angelina Jolie, Whoopi Goldberg and fellow Australian Nicole Kidman.

In a video statement released by the UN, Blanchett expressed her pride at being a UN Ambassador. “There has never been a more crucial time to stand with refugees and show solidarity. We are living through an unprecedented crisis, and there must be shared responsibility worldwide,” she said, adding, “It feels like we’re at a fork in the road: do we go down the compassionate path or do we go down the path of intolerance?”

The Syrian refugee crisis has become one of the biggest humanitarian disasters since the Second World War. It is estimated that 4.8 million Syrians have fled the country into Europe and beyond, seeking asylum. Blanchett has been an activist working with the UN for over year to...