Actress Angelina Jolie picked up the United Nations Global Humanitarian Action Award in New York on Tuesday for her work as a Goodwill Ambassador.
Jolie is filming in New York
Jolie, who is filming The Good Shepherd in the city, was honoured by the body's US association for her work with the UN High Commission for Refugees.
Brad Pitt, who has been linked with Jolie, was not at the event.
Jolie said it was "strange" to get an award for her work but it had been "the greatest gift" after her children.
Since taking up the ambassador post in 2001 she has called for the protection of refugees across the world.
Her adopted children Maddox and Zahara are from Cambodia and Ethiopia.
After a 2003 visit to DR Congo she posted her diary entries online in a bid to raise awareness on refugee issues.
She said of Tuesday night's award: "Second to my children, spending time with refuges and other persons of persons of need around the world has been the greatest gift.
"It's been the greatest life lesson I could ever receive.
"After my first trip to a refugee camp, I made a promise that I would try to help others to understand everything that I was fortunate enough to witness."