Obama opens Chicago presidential center, urges Americans to defend democracy
Key takeaways
- Former US President Barack Obama opened his presidential center in Chicago on Thursday, calling for the defense of democracy in a star-studded event attended by three former presidents.
- By: FRANCE 24 The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, June 3, 2026.
- President Donald Trump was conspicuous both in his physical absence and by not being mentioned by any of the speakers or performers.
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Former US President Barack Obama opened his presidential center in Chicago on Thursday, calling for the defense of democracy in a star-studded event attended by three former presidents. “I hope this center will serve as an affirmation of how precious our democracy truly is,” Obama said, as Stevie Wonder closed the celebration.
By: FRANCE 24 The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, June 3, 2026. © KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI, AFP Former President Barack Obama formally opened his presidential center in Chicago on Thursday with a call to defend democracy as three former presidents joined him on stage in an extraordinary event featuring politicians, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known figures.
“I hope this center will serve as an affirmation of just how special, how precious our democracy truly is and remind us what we can achieve when we embrace our shared responsibilities as citizens,” the nation’s first Black president told the crowd.