In honor of Global Education Week, NBC's Ann Curry traveled to Namibia in southern Africa for an exclusive interview with actress and advocate Angelina Jolie.

Jolie has taken on a new cause, calling for all of the world's children to be given the opportunity to get an education.

"Lack of education causes death," said Jolie, who emerged from a private family vacation for the interview. "More children die under the age of five when the parents are not educated. More people get AIDS when they haven't had an education. Statistics prove that if every child was in school every year, 700,000 less people would get AIDS."

Jolie said the point hits home when she looks at her two adopted children, who are from Cambodia and Ethiopia. She said there is no way her daughter could have gone to school had she not been adopted.

"But she is so smart and so strong," Jolie said. "Her potential as a woman one day is great. "

Curry asked why the American people should care about the issue when there are so many issues to worry about at home.

"Because if we just fix our home and the neighborhoods around us fall apart, ... what kind of a place are we going to live in?" Jolie asked. "It doesn't make any sense to just fix your own house when your neighbors are ... falling into chaos."

Children are a priority for Jolie, especially now as she awaits the birth of her baby with actor Brad Pitt. She said she's prepared for the birth.

"We don't know where it's gonna happen or where we're going to be," she said. "But I'm ready for everything."

Jolie told Curry that she knows the sex of the baby, but she wanted to keep it to herself.

You can see an all new interview with Jolie Sunday night on "Dateline" at 7 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. CDT.