Renowned Judge and academic David Attard, who specialises in maritime law, is set to be awarded a Research Doctorate Honoris Causa (Honorary) in Legal Sciences from University of Messina, one of Europe's oldest universities, on Thursday 4th April 2024 (tomorrow).
Professor Attard will be delivering the lectio doctoralis (doctoral study) on the theme “Enhancing the effectiveness of international maritime law,” while the laudatio (commendation speech) will be delivered by Francesca Pellegrino, Full Professor in Maritime Law.
The Research Doctorate Honoris Causa in Legal Sciences is being granted by University of Messina as recognition of his contributions, even as a Judge, to the Law of the Sea.
For 30 years, Professor Attard served as Director of the International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) located at University of Malta, where he currently holds the position of Chancellor. He is Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), an independent judicial body of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted in 1982.
Additionally, Professor Attard is a Visiting Professor at a number of 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.
Over the course of his career, he has received a number of awards and honours, including the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2010, and the International Maritime Prize in 2022.
The ceremony, set to be held at the Aula Magna of University of Messina at 10.30am, will also be livestreamed.
Social image: University of Messina / Medlink Students
