Thousands of Lions and Leos descend on Melbourne

With the Lions International Convention 2024 (LIC2024) underway in Melbourne, the city is welcoming over 10,500 Lions members and participants from more than 170 countries, converging to exchange ideas and inspiration with a vision for the future of service. The five-day event, which runs to 25 June at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), is poised to generate substantial social and economic benefits for the local economy and Melbourne Convention Bureau CEO Julia Swanson said the Lions International Convention will be one of the biggest business events for the year. “We’re delighted to host this year’s convention in Melbourne. It presents an excellent opportunity for us to highlight our city’s prowess as a premier global destination for hosting large-scale conventions. “Preparations for this event have been underway for several years, and we are confident that our top-tier facilities, exceptional event infrastructure, and city-wide co-operation will guarantee an unforgettable experience for all attendees,” Swanson said. The convention is expected to deliver A$68m to the local economy and drive hotel occupancy in a typical low season period. The conference has offered a packed programme of events, including keynote speeches, workshops, and networking opportunities and, in addition to LIC2024 itself, a further 80+ ancillary events will take place in leading venues across Melbourne including the Melbourne Zoo, Eureka89 and Crown Towers to name a few. While in Melbourne, Lions and Leos have been joining to serve others at special offsite service projects like working with Foodbank Victoria, FareShare Meal Prep and Vision Australia Braille Book Assembly. Foodbank Victoria anticipate Lions volunteers will pack up to 10,000 kilos of food – the equivalent of 20,000 meals for people in need for distribution across its network of 500+ charity partners. Chairman of the Host Committee, Tony Benbow OAM, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to host this year’s Lions International Convention in Melbourne, which will provide an outstanding combination of inspiration and entertainment for our members and participants, and for those interested in learning more about us.”