The Lowy Institute

The 2024 Lowy Lecture was delivered by the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel. ‍The Lowy Lecture was held on Tuesday 26 November 2024 at the Sydney Town Hall. President Petr Pavel is one of Europe’s most influential, interesting and articulate leaders. He has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine in its war against Russia, leading calls for a strong and united response by Western nations to Russia’s aggression. He believes that - facing the current challenges - democracies across the world must work closely together. He was inaugurated as the fourth President of the Czech Republic in March 2023. Prior to entering politics, Mr Pavel spent 35 years in the Czech military, culminating in his service as the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces. Mr Pavel also chaired the Military Committee, NATO’s senior military authority, from 2015 to 2018. The Lowy Lecture is the Institute’s flagship event and one of the world’s leading lecture series. Past Lowy Lecturers have included leaders such as German