Speaking about hope, Obama was asked if he still believed in a Martin Luther King Jr phrase he quoted years ago, about the arm of the moral universe being long, but ultimately bending towards justice.
The former president said that he still stands by the quote and argued that hope is an active “almost theological” choice people must make.
He said: “It is a decision about how do we face and embrace this finite amount of time we have on the planet.”
He told the audience he believes it is healthier for people to believe that change is possible.
“I think when we act on that basis, it doesn’t always work out, but over time things do get better,” he said.
Obama also said there seems to be a cycle in humanity where people forget lessons learned from the past and start to take things for granted.
“We start thinking ‘maybe using language in public from our politicians that fosters hatred and scapegoats certain people – immigrants, Jews, or blacks or gays – that’s just talk, it’s humour’.”
He said people forget where that can lead to, with them becoming less tolerant.
Obama told the audience that the world is going to be dealing with “big challenges”, but he said he thinks “we can be better” and that making the world better remains worth fighting for.