On Thursday 4 April 2024, Prof. David Attard, world-renowned judge and academic in the field of Maritime Law, will be awarded the Research Doctorate Honoris Causa in Legal Sciences from the University of Messina.

Prof. Attard will deliver the lectio doctoralis on the theme "Enhancing the effectiveness of international maritime law". The laudatio will be delivered by Prof.ssa Francesca Pellegrino, full professor in Maritime Law.

Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), an independent judicial body of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea adopted in 1982, Prof. Attard was for 30 years Director of IMLI (International Maritime Law Institute) located at the University of Malta where he currently holds the prestigious position of Chancellor. Visiting Professor at renowned European Universities, including Sorbonne-Paris and Oxford, he has also participated, as a Maltese delegate, in numerous Working Groups and UN Conferences on the theme of marine pollution. During his career, he has received numerous awards and honours, including that of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2010; in 2022 he was awarded the International Maritime Prize.

The Research Doctorate Honoris Causa in Legal Sciences will be conferred on Professor Attard, by the University of Messina, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions - also as a Judge - to the Law of the Sea.

The ceremony, which will be held at the Aula Magna of the University of Messina on 4 April 2024 at 10:30, will be streamed via Microsoft Teams.

Meeting ID: 377 720 797 916

Passcode: aGGiVF