The Commonwealth Association

Lord Alok Sharma to give Patsy Robertson lecture on climate action, international leadership and the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Association, and the Commonwealth Human Ecology Council will jointly host the annual Patsy Robertson Memorial Lecture with The Rt Hon Lord Alok Sharma KCMG on Climate Action, International Leadership and the Commonwealth: Driving Impact Ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the 31st Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP31). 

Guest of Honour

In 2020, Lord Sharma was appointed President Designate of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), alongside his role as Secretary of State for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy. In 2021, he took on the COP26 role full-time, leading the UK’s work in bringing together the world to tackle climate change and getting almost 200 countries to sign up to the historic Glasgow Climate Pact. Lord Sharma was knighted in His Majesty King Charles III’s New Year’s Honours for his services to tackling climate change. 

Lord Sharma served in a range of UK government ministerial roles and served as a UK Member of Parliament for 14 years (2010-2024), subsequently elevated to the House of Lords. He currently serves as a Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford and is Co-Chair of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Climate Advisory Council.

Patsy Robertson Memorial Lecture 

The annual lecture was established in 2021 to honour the legacy of a distinguished Commonwealth staffer and former Director of the Information Division at the Commonwealth Secretariat, widely recognised as a leading voice of the modern Commonwealth and a tireless advocate for justice, including during the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. 

Register to attend

Commonwealth Association sponsors inaugural Patsy Robertson Award for Outstanding Communications Skills

In the annual CYP Awards the Commonwealth Association sponsored the inaugural Patsy Robertson Award for Outstanding Communications Skills. The new category was created to honour the legacy of the late Patsy Robertson, a former Director of Communications at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Maria Maina from Kenya clinched the Patsy Robertson Award for her work in advancing gender equality through Social Justice Insights, a digital platform using research, advocacy and storytelling to educate young people on gender-based violence, femicide and women’s rights.

Maria received a cash prize of £1,000, a certificate and a trophy while five other candidates were recognised as finalists.

Each finalist in this category will also receive a complimentary membership in the Commonwealth Journalists Association, granting them access to a global network of journalists and a range of professional development opportunities.