Former United States President Barack Obama will welcome global leaders including Nigeria’s billionaire banker and Chairman United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group Tony Elumelu, to Chicago today as Obama Foundation holds its first ever global summit.
“This October, we’re bringing together hundreds of leaders from all around the world for a hands-on exchange of ideas in my hometown — the city of Chicago,” the former US president said in a video clip posted on Twitter.
“This leadership summit will be a place to gather and learn from one another and then go back to your communities to lead others in the hard work of change,” he added.
Obama is known to advocate for active citizenship and has been finding ways to implement his out-of-office blueprint for global progressive politics since he left office in January.
According to the conference organisers, Elumelu, who is the only African selected to speak at the inaugural global summit, was chosen as a model – a pioneer in the space – who brings an ‘incredibly important perspective’.
Elumelu, who is the Founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation, which recently held the largest gathering of Africa’s entrepreneurs in Lagos, will speak on the panel ‘Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Emerging Markets.’
The two-day inaugural summit, taking place October 31 to November 1, according to the foundation’s website, will welcome hundreds of young leaders to ‘exchange ideas, explore creative solutions to common problems and experience civic art, technology and music from around the world’.
The Obama Foundation has listed Matteo Renzi and Prince Harry among other speakers at the summit that will take place at the Marriott Marquis McCormick Place in the city of Chicago, United States.
The Summit will feature five main stage sessions with talks on topics ranging from motivating young people to choosing a civic path to technology’s role in creating equitable and inclusive communities.
“The summit will entail sessions on topics such as communicating across differences, art and culture’s role in creating productive cities, understanding race in relation to one’s civic identity. Breakout sessions will provide attendees with the opportunity to dive deeper into topics, engage directly in conversation, and learn new skills,” Obama Foundation said.
Obama will be joined by his wife, Michelle, to hear and engage directly with leaders at the conference. “And what makes me so hopeful, so optimistic, is that so many of you have shown up, dived in and embraced the kind of active citizenship that makes our democracy work,” Obama said in an earlier video.
UBA is one of Africa’s leading financial institutions, with operations in 19 countries including Uganda and three global financial centers: London, Paris and New York.
From a single country operation in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, UBA has evolved into a pan-African, provider of banking and related financial services through diverse channels globally.
The Uganda operations represent UBA’s pioneer country activities in the East and Southern African sub-region. With nine branches and 11 ATMs across the country, the bank continues to expand the retail and commercial playing field in Uganda by delivering unique financial products and solutions of UBA Plc as an African brand.
