Clooney aims to shine celebrity light on U.N.

Clooney, who won an Oscar in 2005 for his role in "Syriana" and has been nominated this year for his role in "Michael Clayton," recalled how desperate people in Darfur had pleaded to him for U.N. help.

"When I stood in the hospital next to women who had been raped and set on fire they looked up to me and said 'please send the U.N.,' not the U.S., not China, not Russia, just the U.N. You are their only hope," he said.

The other U.N. messengers of peace are actor Michael Douglas, musicians Daniel Barenboim, Midori Goto and Yo-Yo Ma, authors Paulo Coelho and Elie Wiesel, naturalist Jane Goodall and Olympic equestrian Princess Haya of Jordan.