Angelina Jolie arrives at United Nations Association of the USA 2005 annual dinner, Tuesday

Actress Angelina Jolie has accepted a United Nations award for her work as a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

Accepting the Global Humanitarian Action Award late Tuesday, Jolie said her U.N. work has been the greatest thing in her life, next to her two children.

She also called the United Nations "the closest thing to fighting for justice" and said she feels privileged to be a small part of it.

Named a U.N. goodwill ambassador in 2001, Jolie has since visited and brought media coverage to refugee camps in places such as Tanzania, Cambodia, Pakistan, Thailand and Ecuador.

The 30-year-old actress has a four-year-old son adopted from Cambodia and an infant daughter adopted from Ethiopia.