President Obama Hosts Roundtable With Young Leaders In Colombia

May 30, 2019 at 10:47 AM CDT

BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA—Yesterday, the Obama Foundation hosted a roundtable with President Obama and 11 emerging leaders from across Colombia. Building on the Foundation’s nonpartisan mission to inspire, empower, and connect people to change their world, President Obama and the young leaders discussed the work these leaders are doing to improve their communities and how best the Obama Foundation can support them as they advance their work.

The roundtable, President Obama’s second engagement with young leaders in South America since launching the Obama Foundation, is part of a global series the Foundation has conducted over the past two years. The discussions help to guide the Foundation’s global programming to support the next generation of leaders around the world with tools, resources, and training.

Participants came from across Colombia, representing Bogotá, Medellín, María la Baja, Cali, Tolú, Quibdó, and Cartagena. Their work spans from technology-based entrepreneurship in post-conflict zones to grassroots civic engagement, and the group includes leaders from across sectors.

"Discussions with impressive young leaders like these in Colombia help the Foundation understand what tools emerging leaders need to best achieve their goals," said Bernadette Meehan, Chief International Officer of the Obama Foundation. "This roundtable in Bogotá was an opportunity to listen to the vision these leaders have for their country and region, and we emerged inspired by their commitment to making positive change in their communities."

Since 2017, President Obama and the Obama Foundation have conducted roundtables and town halls with community leaders in Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, New Zealand, Singapore, India, Brazil, and Indonesia. As a result of these discussions, the Foundation has implemented a series of civic engagement programs that support young leaders around the world. These programs include the Obama Foundation Scholars Program, the Obama Foundation Fellowship, and the Leaders: Africa and Leaders: Asia programs.

You can read more about the roundtable and participants here. Photos from the roundtable are available here (Opens in a new tab).

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Contact: Laura Lucas Magnuson, [email protected]