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Charlize Theron in Dubai on #MeToo: 'We can only move forwards'

It was an understandably packed house at Saturday's Global Education and Skills Forum (GESF) at Atlantis, Dubai, as South African Hollywood actor and celebrated activist Charlize Theron added her high-profile voice to proceedings and addressed a vibrant crowd of education professionals at the venue's laid-back Coffee House meeting room. Settling in after lunch for a brief but powerful question and answer session with event sponsor the Varkey Foundation's CEO Vikas Pota, the discussion quickly dove into much-debated current social issues. On the subject of the #MeToo movement the Academy Award-winner was optimistic about the change going on not only in her industry, but across all fields.
"I think it's undeniable what is happening with this women's movement now.
"Whatever that catalyst was, and I think we all have different opinions of what that catalyst was, I don't care - as long as this conversation continues. I think the numbers of women who have found strength and a voice and been able to speak about what has happened to them, things they have seen, things they have experienced, is just too powerful for this not to cause change.
Theron went on to put the issue into a show business context.
"I can definitely tell you in my industry hands down people are thinking differently they're talking differently their awareness is at a level it has never been before and I just don't see how we're going to move backwards from that. We can only move forwards."
Upon the closing of GESF on Sunday, March 18, a US$1 million Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize will be presented to one exceptional teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession.
david@khaleejtimes.com