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Barack Obama to speak in Hartford in June as part of Connecticut Forum event

Former President Barack Obama moderates a conversation with leaders at the 2024 Democracy Forum at the Marriott Marquis on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
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Former President Barack Obama moderates a conversation with leaders at the 2024 Democracy Forum at the Marriott Marquis on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Tess Crowley/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

The nation’s 44th president is scheduled to come to Connecticut’s capital city in June, as part of The Connecticut Forum.

Former President Barack Obama will headline an event scheduled for June 17 at 7:30 p.m. at The Bushnell Performing Arts Center in Hartford.

Obama is expected to speak about his presidency and the work of the Obama Foundation, according to organizers.

“For more than three decades, The Forum has served a critical role in Connecticut – bringing people together to consider the great challenges and opportunities of our time through thoughtful discussions,” said Mana Zarinejad, executive director of The Connecticut Forum, in a statement. “In so doing, we hope to bridge the divides that exist between individuals and communities.”

The event is part of the forum’s new season and will run in partnership with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Other guests this season include former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and author Roxane Gay.

“At a time when our country is experiencing so much division with many Americans losing their faith in government institutions, we hope that this conversation with President Obama will inspire all of us to think about what shared values unite us. And that working toward a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable society increases opportunity for our country to prosper.” Hartford Foundation President and CEO Jay Williams said in a statement.

Learn more

For ticketing and event details, visit www.ctforum.org.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

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Connecticut Public’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.