2026 Sydney Peace Prize Award Ceremony and Lecture
Description
Join us for the Sydney Peace Prize Award Ceremony and Lecture to honour our 2026 Laureate, International Human Rights Lawyer and Barrister Jennifer Robinson.
Jennifer Robinson will be in Sydney to accept the award from Lord Mayor Clover Moore at the Sydney Peace Prize Lecture and Award Ceremony at Sydney Town Hall.
She will be joined in conversation hosted by MC Ben Law in conversation with Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts and Sarah Schwartz.
You will also hear from Mohamed Duar, the Sydney Peace Foundation deputy co-chair and head of philanthropy for Amnesty International Australia.
We are excited that the NSW Department of Education Arts Unit Aboriginal Dance Troupe will once again open the event and the dynamic Suara Indonesia Dance will close of the evening proceedings.
The 2026 Sydney Peace Prize will be awarded to Jennifer Robinson “for her unwavering commitment to international law and her dedication to upholding and promoting human rights including free speech, press freedom, and gender and climate justice."
Jennifer Robinson is an internationally renowned human rights lawyer, barrister, author, and advocate, acclaimed for her key work in human rights and media freedom cases worldwide. As legal counsel to Julian Assange, she worked to secure his release in 2024, and has represented countries, social movements, and individuals before international courts and the United Nations. Jen has fought for accountability, challenging unlawful actions against journalists, pursuing climate justice, and supporting human rights in West Papua. A consistent advocate for women’s rights, she has spoken out against the silencing of women by the legal system – a topic she explores in her co-authored book How Many More Women? and the newly released documentary Silenced. Watch the official trailer here.
See the full announcement and profile on our website.
Sydney Town Hall is an accessible venue. See further information on site access, facilities and services. Before purchasing your accessible tickets, please contact us at info@sydneypeace.org.au so we can provide best seating.
By purchasing a ticket to the City of Sydney Peace Prize Lecture, you are supporting the Sydney Peace Foundation and the Sydney Peace Prize program.
If you're able, please consider purchasing a Peacemaker ticket to help us promote peace with justice. Peacemaker ticket holders will be given priority seating near the stage.
View our Ticketing Policy.
Doors will open at 5.45pm. We ask you all are seated by 6.20pm.
Please note that this event will be photographed and may be shared on our social media. If you'd prefer not to appear in any content, please let us know.
Please email us info@sydneypeace.org.au for further information.
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Lineup
Jennifer Robinson
Jennifer Robinson, 2026 Sydney Peace Prize Laureate, is widely recognised for her fearless advocacy in defence of human rights, press freedom, and gender justice, and for her enduring commitment to the rule of law under political pressure. An award-winning barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, she has built an international reputation representing journalists, activists, and marginalised communities.
Lord Mayor Clover Moore
Clover Moore is the longest serving Lord Mayor of Sydney. She is the first popularly elected woman to lead the City of Sydney and previously served in the NSW Parliament and on the City and South Sydney councils. Throughout her public life, Clover has championed progressive policies. Under her leadership, the City has developed a global reputation for delivering award-winning facilities, protecting open space, promoting design excellence, delivering new transport options, championing sustainability and initiating progressive solutions to complex city social problems.
Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts
Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts is a proud Bundjalung Widubul Wiabul woman, human rights advocate, lawyer, author, writer and survivor advocate. She is a respected and authoritative voice on the rights, safety and self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, families and communities. As a survivor of forcible removal, Vanessa brings lived experience alongside cultural authority, legal expertise and a commitment to justice, safety and institutional accountability. Her work is grounded in the right of First Nations children to remain connected to family, community, culture and Country.
Sarah Schwartz
Sarah is Legal Director, Democratic Freedoms team at the Human Rights Law Centre, where she works on litigation and advocacy defending protest rights and rights to political expression. Sarah previously worked as the Principal of the Wirraway Practice at the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and has more than a decade of experience in the community legal sector. She holds a Master of Laws from Harvard and is also a lecturer at Melbourne Law School and Executive Director of the Jewish Council of Australia.
Ben Law - MC
Benjamin Law is an acclaimed Australian writer and broadcaster. He is an AWGIE Award-winning screenwriter and playwright, and author of The Family Law, which was adapted into an award-winning SBS series. One of Australia’s most prolific interviewers, Benjamin's interviews include Bernie Sanders, Gloria Steinem and Fran Lebowitz. He has written for over 50 publications in Australia and beyond. In 2019 he was voted one of the 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians, winning the Arts & Culture category of the Asian-Australian Leadership Awards.
Mohamed Duar
Mohamed Duar is a fundraiser, campaigner, and government relations advisor with over 20 years of experience. He holds a Master of Human Rights from the University of Sydney and is on the Sydney Peace Foundation Prize Jury and Executive Council. Mohamed is Amnesty International Australia’s Occupied Palestinian Territory Spokesperson.
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