President Obama and Michelle Obama will give keynote addresses at this year’s South by Southwest Music, Film and Interactive festival in Austin, Texas.
“I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate our event’s 30th year than to welcome both the President and first lady to SXSW,” co-founder Roland Swenson said in a statement on the festival’s website. “As each new generation comes up at SXSW, they look for ways they can be of service, and it’s important to reflect and support that message. President and Mrs. Obama’s visit here will inspire attendees to that purpose.”
The president will give the keynote for SXSW Interactive on Friday, March 11. He is slated to have a discussion with Evan Smith, CEO and editor-in-chief of the Texas Tribune, about, according to the SXSW website, “civic engagement in the 21st Century” and using technology to increase political engagement and combat climate change.
The first lady will be on hand at SXSW Music on Wednesday, March 16, to tout her Let Girls Learn initiative, which aims to help women worldwide who are not currently in school to get an education.
These keynotes will be the first time in SXSW’s 30-year history that a sitting president and first lady have participated in the event.
