ATHENS, Greece — Pushing back against the forces of isolationism, President Barack Obama stood at the birthplace of democracy today and declared it’s time for a “course correction” to ensure the benefits of technology and globalization are more broadly shared.

With the U.S. presidential election of Republican Donald Trump laying bare frustrations and dissatisfaction in America, Obama said the impulse to “pull back from a globalized world is understandable.” But he had this message to leaders and people around the globe: “We can’t look backward for answers, we have to look forward.”

“We cannot sever the connections that have enabled so much progress,” Obama said in a speech to the Greek people as he wrapped up the first leg of his final foreign tour as president. He then headed for Germany.

Obama cited both last week’s election of Trump and the June vote by Britain to leave the European Union as evidence of the inclination to pull back.

“The current path of globalization demands a course correction,” he said. “In the years and decades ahead, our countries have to make sure that the benefits of an integrated global economy are more broadly shared by more people and that the negative impacts are squarely addressed.”

“That’s how democracies can deliver the prosperity and hope that our people need,” Obama said.