Former United States President Barack Obama returned to Lisbon on Saturday, October 10, where he delivered a keynote address at the 6th edition of the Game Changers Forum.
During his two-day stay in Lisbon, Obama met with Portuguese President António José Seguro at the Palácio de Belém, the official residence of the Portuguese head of state. No detailed account of the subjects discussed was made public.
Speaking before an audience of approximately 10,000 people at the MEO Arena, the 44th President of the United States received a standing ovation as he addressed leadership, democratic values, international security and the importance of preparing younger generations for public service. He warned about growing threats to democracy, political polarization, and the rapid development of artificial intelligence.
“Democracy, in the history of humanity, is the blink of an eye — a fragile idea that needs to be constantly renewed,” Obama said, according to remarks reported by the Portuguese newspaper Observador.
Obama argued that democratic governments must respond more effectively to citizens’ concerns, particularly the rising cost of housing, employment insecurity and the perception that political institutions are disconnected from everyday life. He warned that periods of economic uncertainty and social disruption often encourage extreme nationalism, political tribalism and hostility toward immigrants.
In his opening address, he greeted the audience in Portuguese, recalling the contributions of Americans of Portuguese ancestry who held prominent positions in his administration between 2009 and 2017. He also emphasized the longstanding connections between Portugal and the United States,
Specifically, Obama mentioned David Simas, Ernest Moniz and Pete Souza, referring to them as his political director, Energy Secretary and official photographer. Simas, born in Taunton, Massachusetts, to Portuguese immigrant parents from the Azores, served as White House political director and later as president of the Obama Foundation. Moniz, a Massachusetts-born physicist of Portuguese ancestry, served as U.S. Secretary of Energy from 2013 to 2017. Souza, born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, to a family of Azorean descent, served as chief official White House photographer throughout Obama’s presidency.
The comments drew attention to the contributions of Portuguese Americans to American public life, particularly those originating from communities in California, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where successive generations of Portuguese immigrants have established longstanding cultural, economic and political connections. He also added a humorous reference to Bo and Sunny, the two Portuguese Water Dogs who became familiar figures at the White House during his presidency.
Speaking less than a month before the November 3 American midterm elections, Obama addressed political divisions in the United States and criticized appeals to an idealized American past. According to reports by the Portuguese press, Obama called for political leaders who recognize equality and the dignity of all citizens, regardless of race, gender, or national origin.
“What we need now is leaders who represent their own people and appreciate their traditions, culture and history,” Obama said, while also recognizing that people in other countries share similar hopes and aspirations.
Obama also appealed for greater participation by younger generations in politics and public leadership. He argued that the digital transformation of society makes younger generations particularly important in shaping political institutions capable of responding to emerging challenges.
He warned that technological developments are advancing considerably faster than governments and societies can adapt, potentially transforming employment, education, economic structures, and international security within the next decade. “The problem is that technology moves very quickly, but governments and societies move slowly,” Obama said.
Obama called for stronger international cooperation to regulate artificial intelligence, particularly between the United States and China, which he identified as the countries leading its development.
He also warned against allowing artificial intelligence to make decisions involving nuclear weapons. “You cannot have a model without human intervention deciding when to launch a nuclear weapon,” he said, as reported by RTP/Lusa.
According to an official statement issued by the Portuguese Presidency on October 10, the meeting with Portuguese President António José Seguro provided an opportunity for an informal conversation and an exchange of views on contemporary international affairs. The meeting highlighted the continuing relationship between Portugal and the United States, countries linked by more than two centuries of diplomatic relations and longstanding cooperation in NATO, transatlantic security and international affairs.
PAJ/Staff
Barack Obama, 65, served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017, becoming the first African American elected to the nation’s highest office. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4, 1961, he previously served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009. Obama first visited Portugal as President in November 2010, attending the NATO and European Union–United States summits in Lisbon. In November 2016, he made a technical stop at Lajes Air Base on Terceira Island in the Azores while traveling to Peru. He returned to Portugal in July 2018 to participate in an international conference on climate change in Porto. His October 2026 appearance at the Game Changers Forum in Lisbon marked his fourth known visit to Portugal, reflecting his longstanding connections with the country and its Portuguese American communities. His message of international cooperation and democratic renewal resonated with the Game Changers Forum’s central themes, which bring together political figures, business executives, innovators, and entrepreneurs to discuss leadership and the challenges of a changing world. Lajes Air Base has served for decades as a strategic facility supporting cooperation between Portugal and the United States.
