Michelle Obama and Julia Roberts team up to promote girls’ education and women empowerment in south-east Asia
Michelle Obama is teaming up with actress Julia Roberts for a trip to Asia to promote girls’ education and empowerment.
Both the 'Pretty Woman' actress, 52, and the former first lady, 55, will take part in the Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance, where they will meet with educational organizations for adolescent girls during their trip to Vietnam on December 9.
The next stop for the duo would be the foundation's Leaders: Asian-Pacific program in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from December 10-14.
"In Malaysia, Mrs. Obama and Ms. Roberts will share reflections about their trip to Vietnam, as well as lessons from their own leadership journeys and their path-breaking careers," according to Obama.org.
The website added: "Consistent with the Obama Foundation’s mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world, the Leaders: Asia-Pacific program will bring together 200 Leaders from 33 countries and territories in the Asia Pacific from December 10-14 in Kuala Lumpur to participate in plenary sessions, skill-building workshops, and leadership training."
The 200 leaders participating in the event will include personalities from the public, private, and non-profit sectors who will "join the Foundation’s growing global network of changemakers."
The moderator for the event will be Malaysian TV host and model Deborah Henry, who founded Fugee.org - a non-profit that runs a school and livelihood programs for refugees in her country.
Although the event is closed to the public, certain sessions of it will be made available via live stream on Obama.org. For example, on December 11 at 10 p.m. ET, the conversation between Michelle and Julia will be among the segments that will be broadcast. The following day, former President Barack Obama will also join the event taking part in a conversation about 'How The Asian-Pacific Shaped Us'.
The Leaders: Asia-Pacific program has worked over the past two years with young leaders from Chicago to Johannesburg.
Julia is a spokesperson for Earth Biofuels and is a board member for Hole in the Wall Gang, a non-profit dedicated to providing “a different kind of healing" to seriously ill children and their families, free of cost. She also famously took part in 'America: A Tribute to Heroes' charity telethon for victims of 9/11 in the past and donated $2 million to the cause.