Barack Obama to visit Belfast as part of live interview tour

Barack Obama is set to visit The O2 Belfast on October 13 as part of his live interview tour, An Evening With President Barack Obama.

The 44th president will appear in three venues as part of the tour, which follows the previous success of a sold-out Dublin 3Arena show and London O2 show last year.

As part of the UK tour, he will also visit Glasgow’s Ovo Hydro October 14 and Manchester’s Co-op Live October 15.

Guest moderators for the event are to be announced, with 2025's edition featuring Obama in conversation with Irish Times columnist Fintan O'Toole.

Organisers have said Obama will speak about "what comes next for America, and for all of us." Among the topics discussed will be democracy, unity and post-presidency.

The former president spoke about censorship of artists at the 3Arena show last year, referencing Jimmy Kimmel's suspension in 2025 for his commentary on the death of Charlie Kirk.

"That's the reason why people who are repressive will go after storytellers and comics and artists," Obama reflected.

"Because when social trust is built, in conversations at community levels between people who may not initially trust each other. That's where power comes from."

The Honolulu-born politician won the Emmy for Best Narrator for his work on the Netflix documentary series Our Great National Parks in 2022, and Grammy Awards for the narration of his two memoirs The Audacity Of Hope and Dreams From My Father.

Tickets will go on sale for the event Friday July 31 at 10am and can be purchased here.