On October 31st and November 1st, the Obama Foundation welcomed civic leaders from around Chicago, the U.S., and the world for a two-day immersive event in Chicago. During this inaugural Summit, hundreds of leaders from around the world gathered to exchange ideas, explore creative solutions to common problems, and experience civic art, technology, and music from around the world.
The Summit featured five main stage sessions with talks on topics ranging from motivating young people to choose a civic path to technology’s role in creating equitable and inclusive communities. The Summit also included breakout sessions on topics ranging from communicating across differences to art and culture’s role in creating productive cities to understanding race in relation to one’s civic identity. Breakout sessions provided attendees with the opportunity to dive deeper into topics, engage directly in conversation, and learn new skills.