
Colloquium
The 2026 Dawson Centre Colloquium
'Can the decline of Western Civilisation be arrested? And if so how?'
Based on all reasonable measures of integral human flourishing the West has been in a period of severe decline, over the last 10-15 years. The Tenth Annual Colloquium of the Christopher Dawson Centre will focus on reasons for this decline and whether there is any hope of turning this situation around.
Keynote Address
'Politics needs Christ'
Senator Ralph Babet
7:00pm, Friday, 10 July
St Peter's Church Parish Centre
581 Toorak Road Toorak, Victoria
Colloquium presentation of papers
9:00am-4:00pm, Saturday 11 July
-
Dr Kevin Donnelly - Social commentator and education expert - speaking on the topic 'Education and Western Civilisation: The way forward'
-
Dr David Daintree - Emeritus Director of the Christopher Dawson Centre - speaking on 'Two Classes of Men'
-
Dr Mark Hobart - Medical Practitioner and defender of rights of conscience - speaking on 'The attack on the integrity of medical care in Western civilisation'
-
Catherine Sheehan - Editor of the Catholic Standard - speaking on 'The importance of femininity in the battle against evil'
-
Daniel Skinner - Architect, M.J. Suttie Architects - speaking on 'Dehumanised Spaces: The Anti-Christian Philosophical Principles of Modern Architecture'
-
Peter August - Executive Director of Divine Mercy Australia - speaking on ‘How deep is your love: A Catholic Journey into understanding love, thoughts, the Will and Spiritual Transformation’
-
Lucas McLennan - Secondary School Teacher - speaking on 'The contribution of the Lyons Forum to the renewal of Western Civilisation'
-
Fr Francis Denton - Parish Priest of St Francis of Assisi Parish, Mill Park - speaking 'The recovery of a classical approach to art'
-
John Smyth - Founding Principal, Chesterton Academy of Melbourne - speaking on ‘First Things First, Recovering the Purpose of Education.'
-
Leigh Fetter - Catholic Convert, lawyer and academic - speaking on 'Liberalism: a pyrrhic victory, or war, by other means?'
-
John Roskam - Incoming President of Campion College - speaking on TBC
-
Anna Krohn - Executive Director of the Thomas More Centre - speaking on TBC