( CNN ) -- Actress Angelina Jolie , a longtime goodwill ambassador for the United Nations ' refugee agency , will be headed to Turkey this week to visit Syrian refugees , Turkey 's Foreign Ministry said Wednesday . Jolie is expected to arrive in Istanbul and head to Hatay on Friday , according to the ministry , which accepted an application for her visit on Wednesday . More than 8,000 Syrians have fled their country for Turkey to escape violence , including a military offensive in the Jisr al-Shugur area . Jolie was named a goodwill ambassador for the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in early 2001 and has visited more than 20 countries `` to highlight the plight of millions of uprooted people and to advocate for their protection . '' The U.N. office said her interest in `` humanitarian affairs was piqued in 2000 when she went to Cambodia to film the adventure film 'Tomb Raider . ' `` Jolie has won numerous acting awards , including a best supporting actress Academy Award for her performance in 1999 's `` Girl , Interrupted . '' CNN 's Yesim Comert contributed to this report .
Jolie will arrive in Istanbul and head to Hatay . More than 8,000 Syrians have fled their country for Turkey . Jolie is a U.N. refugee agency goodwill ambassador .