After months of globetrotting with famous friends like Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey, former President Barack Obama is finally coming home to the place where it all started.
Obama will return to Chicago on Monday to speak to students at the University of Chicago, in what will be his first speech since leaving the White House. According to the Chicago Tribune, Obama will meet with young leaders, six of whom will join him on stage, and will hold a conversation on civic engagement and discuss community organizing at the university’s Logan Center for the Arts.
According to Kevin Lewis, a spokesman for the former president, the event allows the 44th president, who came to Chicago to work as a community organizer, fulfill a one of the commitments he’s set out for his post-presidential years: working with the country’s young leaders.
“This event is part of President Obama’s post-presidency goal to encourage and support the next generation of leaders driven by strengthening communities around the country and the world,” an advisory said.
Obama had made an unpublicized trip to Chicago in February to discuss the future presidential center planned for the city with civic leaders. But he made no appearances for the general public. Since then, he has spent most of his time vacationing and focusing on writing his memoirs. The Monday appearance comes just a few days before President Trump completes his first 100 days in office.
Several area schools were invited to join the conversation including University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, and others. Those joining Obama on state will range from high school to college to recent university graduates, the Tribune reports. According to Lewis, they have all been chosen and are from the Chicago area, but their names were not released Friday.
Former first lady Michelle Obama is not expected to accompany her husband on the trip.
Obama gave his farewell speech as president in January at Chicago’s McCormick Center.
