16^th Sir Zelman Cowen Oration and Dinner

AIIA Victoria warmly invites you to a stimulating evening at the Park Hyatt Melbourne. Meet old and new friends, mingle with diplomats and members of the international community in Melbourne, and continue the tradition of acknowledging the contribution of Sir Zelman Cowen AK GCMG GCVO QC.

Former Governor-General and legal expert Sir Zelman Cowen dedicated his life to engaging the Australian public in international affairs. To honour this commitment, and his role as past Patron of the Institute, AIIA Victoria's annual Sir Zelman Cowen Oration features an eminent speaker discussing a current issue that affects how Australia engages with the world.

The 16th Sir Zelman Cowen Oration will be delivered by:

Professor Sharon Lewin AO, FRACP, PhD, FAHMS

From HIV to COVID and beyond: How can we be better prepared for the inevitable next global pandemic?

Professor Sharon Lewin is the inaugural Director of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity and an international authority on infectious diseases. She is a Professor of Medicine at The University of Melbourne, a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Practitioner Fellow and the President of the International AIDS Society (IAS). She co-chairs the International AIDS Society's Towards an HIV Cure initiative, and in 2014, was the local co-chair for the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, the largest health conference ever held in Australia. She is co-chair of the National COVID Health and Research Advisory Committee, and President-elect of the International AIDS Society. She was named Melburnian of the Year in 2014, and in 2015, was awarded the Peter Wills Medal by Research Australia. In 2019 Sharon was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in recognition of her distinguished service to medical research, and to education and clinical care, in the field of infectious diseases, particularly HIV and AIDS. In 2020, she was awarded the prestigious 2020 Melbourne Achiever Award by the Committee for Melbourne. In 2022 she was awarded the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS) Outstanding Female Researcher Medal in 2022.

Pre-dinner drinks commence in the Ballroom Foyer from 6:30pm followed by dinner in the Ballroom from 7:15pm to 9.45pm.

DRESS CODE: BUSINESS ATTIRE

To download the pdf flyer please click here.

AIIA Victoria gratefully acknowledges the support of the Walter Mangold Trust Fund for our young members.