Julia Roberts to join Michelle Obama in Vietnam education drive

By Long Nguyen   December 3, 2019 | 10:00 pm PT
Hollywood star Julia Roberts and the former U.S. first lady will team up to promote girls’ education across Vietnam and Malaysia next week.

The Obama Foundation confirmed Julia Roberts and Mrs. Obama will travel to Vietnam on December 9 on behalf of the foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance to meet local organizations and beneficiaries of programs helping girls reach their full potential via education.

The duo will join an Obama Foundation event, set to gather 200 civic leaders from Asia-Pacific in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on December 12 to discuss their time in Vietnam and journey to becoming successful women.

Julia Roberts (L) and Mrs Obama will travel to Vietnam on December 9. Photo by Shuttlestock/Denis Makarenko and Jstone.

Julia Roberts (L) and Michelle Obama will touch down in Vietnam on December 9. Photo by Shuttlestock/Denis Makarenko and Jstone.

Malaysian TV host and model Deborah Henry, who founded Fugee.org, a non-profit organization running a school and livelihood programs for local refugees, will host the talk.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama will also meet with civic leaders and take part in the talk "How The Asian-Pacific Shaped US" on December 13.

Julia Roberts, 52 years old, is an Academy Award-winning actress and one of Hollywood's top stars, known for movies such as "Pretty Woman" and "Eat Pray Love".

Earlier this year, she joined many celebrities, including American actresses Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Natalie Portman, English footballer David Beckham, and American singer John Legend in a video shot for the Girls Alliance promoting the education of girls all over the world.

The Girls Alliance program has contributed to providing more than 1,500 bikes for girls in Vietnam's rural areas, allowing them to attend school more easily, significantly decreasing the dropout rate.

 
 
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