Ben Affleck honored at peace ceremony

Actor/filmmaker Ben Affleck was honored for his humanitarian efforts in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo at a ceremony in California on Friday (11Jan13).

The star has received plenty of acclaim during the ongoing Hollywood awards season for his thriller Argo, but it was his work with his Eastern Congo Initiative that was recognized by the Cinema for Peace Foundation at the Gala for Humanity in Beverly Hills.

Affleck picked up the Humanitarian Award and was hailed for demonstrating the "foresight, courage and leadership" needed to "take a stand against extreme injustice, intolerance and inequalities".

Jaka Bizilj, founder of Cinema for Peace, says, "The Eastern Congo Initiative is the first U.S.-based advocacy and grant-making initiative wholly focused on working with and for the people of Eastern Congo. The Cinema for Peace Foundation is pleased to honor Ben Affleck for his courageous efforts to raise awareness about this terrible catastrophe and his brave stand against the injustices experienced by the Congolese. We are proud to support their work by providing desperately needed financial resources."

The event attracted an A-list guest list, including pregnant star Kristen Bell and her funnyman partner Dax Shepard, as well as British actress Thandie Newton and her director husband Ol Parker.