Barack Obama to speak in Tampere this May

By admin On Feb 25, 2025

Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, attends the Nordic Business Forum business seminar in Helsinki, Finland on September 27, 2018. LEHTIKUVA

Former President of the United States Barack Obama will visit Tampere, Finland, to deliver a public speaking event at the Nokia Arena on 13 May.

Titled “A Conversation with President Barack Obama,” the appearance will feature Obama’s reflections on his presidency from 2009 to 2017, insights into leadership, and personal experiences from his time in the White House.

Visual Media, the event organiser, has confirmed that the talk will be a ticketed event.

Tickets will initially become available for presale buyers from 28 February, with general public sales starting on 3 March. Pricing details have not yet been revealed. Obama’s past appearances have often attracted significant public interest, with ticket prices reaching as high as €3,700 for a similar event in Helsinki in 2018.

Obama’s speaking engagements have typically drawn large audiences and generated substantial income. Media reports have previously indicated that his speaking fees can reach hundreds of thousands of euros per event.

The former president’s visit is expected to require stringent security measures. On his previous trip to Finland in 2018, the US Secret Service coordinated closely with Finnish police. The security at that time involved detailed checks for all event attendees.

This will be Obama’s second visit to Finland, following his previous appearance in Helsinki five years ago, when he addressed business leaders at a high-profile seminar.

Prior to his visit to Tampere, Obama is scheduled to speak in Oslo, Norway, on 12 May, according to Norwegian media outlet NRK.

Obama is represented by the Harry Walker Agency, which also represents prominent international speakers including former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin.

Obama’s upcoming visit continues a tradition of high-profile US politicians visiting Finland. Current US President Joe Biden, who served as Obama’s Vice President, visited Helsinki officially in 2023, while former US President Donald Trump travelled to Helsinki in 2018 for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Obama’s Tampere appearance also echoes a past visit by former US President Bill Clinton, who held a leadership seminar in the city in 2006 and notably took a leisurely stroll in the city centre, making headlines in Finnish media.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi