Beaming Michelle Obama and Julia Roberts chat to pupils in Vietnam ahead of conference in Malaysia 

Beaming Michelle Obama and Julia Roberts chat to pupils in Vietnam ahead of conference on girls’ education in Malaysia

  • Hollywood star is travelling to Kuala Lumpur with Obama for inaugural Leaders: Asia-Pacific convening
  • On Monday, the pair visited girls at a school in Can Giuoc district of Long An province
  • They were joined by Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of NBC’s Today show and George Bush’s daughter
  • In January Roberts joined Meryl Streep, David Beckham and Natalie Portman in an Obama Foundation video

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Michelle Obama and Julia Roberts met with high school students in Vietnam today ahead of the former first lady’s visit to promote girls’ education in Malaysia.

The Hollywood star is travelling to Kuala Lumpur with Obama for the Obama Foundation’s inaugural Leaders: Asia-Pacific convening in the capital.

But before the beginning of the conference on Tuesday, Roberts and Obama visited girls at a school in Can Giuoc district of Long An province.

They were joined by Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of NBC’s Today show and George Bush’s daughter, to discuss opportunities in women’s education as part of The Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance program. 

Former first lady Michelle Obama and actress Julia Roberts meet Vietnamese students in Can Giuoc district, Long An province, Vietnam on Monday. Obama and Roberts are in Vietnam to promote girls’ education, ahead of their visit to Malaysia for the Obama Foundation’s Leaders: Asia-Pacific conference

Obama hugs a girl during the visit to the high school today. Tomorrow they will begin a four day conference in the Malaysian capital where Roberts and Obama will 'share reflections about their trip to Vietnam, as well as lessons from their own leadership journeys and their path-breaking careers'

Obama hugs a girl during the visit to the high school today. Tomorrow they will begin a four day conference in the Malaysian capital where Roberts and Obama will ‘share reflections about their trip to Vietnam, as well as lessons from their own leadership journeys and their path-breaking careers’

Obama reacts while chatting to students today

Obama speaking to female students today

Obama gave a speech to pupils at the school and also sat down alongside them to discuss the Obama foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance program – an international charitable effort to engage adolescent girls in education opportunities 

Tomorrow they will begin a four day conference in the Malaysian capital where Roberts and Obama will ‘share reflections about their trip to Vietnam, as well as lessons from their own leadership journeys and their path-breaking careers.’  

Roberts has previously worked with the Obama Foundation. In January she joined Meryl Streep, David Beckham, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Amy Poehler and John Legend, in a video to promote educating girls.  

The pair will give a talk on Thursday which will be hosted by former Miss Malaysia and TV host Deborah Henry.

The former first lady hugs a student in Vietnam today ahead of her visit to Malaysia

The former first lady hugs a student in Vietnam today ahead of her visit to Malaysia

Roberts and Obama meet girls at the high school on Monday. Tomorrow they will begin a four day conference in the Malaysian capital where Roberts and Obama will 'share reflections about their trip to Vietnam, as well as lessons from their own leadership journeys and their path-breaking careers'

Roberts and Obama meet girls at the high school on Monday. Tomorrow they will begin a four day conference in the Malaysian capital where Roberts and Obama will ‘share reflections about their trip to Vietnam, as well as lessons from their own leadership journeys and their path-breaking careers’

Obama speaks to students on Monday morning. Roberts has previously worked with the Obama Foundation. In January she joined Meryl Streep, David Beckham, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Amy Poehler and John Legend, in a video to promote educating girls

Obama speaks to students on Monday morning. Roberts has previously worked with the Obama Foundation. In January she joined Meryl Streep, David Beckham, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Amy Poehler and John Legend, in a video to promote educating girls

Roberts and Obama were joined by Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of NBC's Today show and George Bush's daughter, to discuss opportunities in women's education as part of The Obama Foundation's Girls Opportunity Alliance program

Roberts and Obama were joined by Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of NBC’s Today show and George Bush’s daughter, to discuss opportunities in women’s education as part of The Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance program

Henry, who founded Fugee.org, which runs a school and aids refugees in Malaysia, will moderate the conversation with questions sourced from the 200 rising leaders invited.

The event is closed to the public but will be livestreamed via the Obama Foundation’s website.

Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former US president George W. Bush, embraces a Vietnamese student in Can Giuoc district, Long An province on Monday

Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former US president George W. Bush, embraces a Vietnamese student in Can Giuoc district, Long An province on Monday

Obama and Roberts in Vietnam this morning to discuss educational opportunities for adolescent women as part of the former first lady's international outreach program

Obama and Roberts in Vietnam this morning to discuss educational opportunities for adolescent women as part of the former first lady’s international outreach program

Former US First Lady Michelle Obama (center R) and actress Julia Roberts (L) meet Vietnamese students in Can Giuoc district, Long An province on December 9, 2019

Former US First Lady Michelle Obama (center R) and actress Julia Roberts (L) meet Vietnamese students in Can Giuoc district, Long An province on December 9, 2019

Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former US president George W. Bush, poses for picture with Vietnamese student in Can Giuoc district, Long An province

Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former US president George W. Bush, poses for picture with Vietnamese student in Can Giuoc district, Long An province