Ishmael Beah, a UNICEF advocate for children affected by war, and the author of the book, A Long Way Gone ; Memoirs of A Boy Soldier was a panelist at the 5th Annual Jackson Hole Film Festival’s Global Insight Summit. The Jackson Hole Film Festival organized this summit for the first time this year in an attempt to bring United Nations dignitaries, and entertainment celebrities together to focus on issues that are critical in the international realm. This will be an annual event to ensure that critical international issues are highlighted.

Beah, a former child soldier, was the panelist on the portion that dealt with children and armed conflict. Mariatu Kamara, a survivor of the Sierra Leone conflict, joined him on the panel. Other panelists were special representative to the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict, Radhika Cooramaswamy , Executive Director of UNICEF, Ann Veneman, and UNICEF child protection specialist, Pernille Ironside.