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Sean Penn's CORE Foundation to help Ukrainian refugees in Poland

American actor and director Sean Penn has signed an agreement for his CORE Foundation to provide help to Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

Under the deal between CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), which Penn co-founded, and the municipality of Krakow, the foundation will open an office in the historic southern Polish city.

The initiative will provide educational activities and also convert unoccupied premises to accommodate around 50 refugees, the Polish agency PAP said in a report.

Penn was in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv in late February when the Russian invasion began, to film a documentary, the Ukrainian president's office said at the time.

The double Oscar-winner was photographed attending a government news conference in Kyiv, and could be seen meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in a video posted to the Ukrainian president's official Instagram account.

Sean Penn (left), pictured at a government news conference in Kyiv last month Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

The 61-year-old actor with two Oscars - for Milk and Mystic River - is shooting a documentary for Vice Studios, according to NBC News.

Penn has previously attracted controversy as a result of his foray into politics and current affairs, especially after he and Mexican-American actress Kate del Castillo interviewed Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman while he was on the run.

In 2018, Penn was reported to be in Turkey making an as-yet-unreleased documentary about the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's consulate.

Source: AFP

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