Gold Coast welcomes global Lions leaders for ANZI Pacific Forum
Hundreds of Lions volunteers and leaders will gather on the Gold Coast for the ANZI Pacific Forum 2025.
What’s happening?
The Gold Coast will host hundreds of Lions Clubs volunteers and global leaders from 5-7 September for the 2025 ANZI Pacific Forum at Mantra on View Hotel, Surfers Paradise.
The three-day forum will focus on leadership development, international collaboration, and service impact.
A highlight of the gathering will be a tree planting service at the Gold Coast Botanic Gardens on Friday 5 September at 10:00am, part of the Lions Green Canopy Environment Project.
Why it matters
The forum showcases the strength of Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest service organisation, in fostering both local and global change. The event also comes at a historic moment for Lions Australia, with Tony Benbow OAM recently elected as Third Vice International President, reinforcing Australia’s leadership in the global network.
Local Impact
The Gold Coast community will directly benefit from the environmental initiative, which aims to contribute to the broader Lions Green Canopy project of planting one million trees across Australia and Papua New Guinea by June 2027.
By the numbers
Hundreds of Lions volunteers from across Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia and the Pacific will attend the forum.
1 million trees are targeted for planting across Australia and Papua New Guinea by June 2027.
3 days of events will take place at Surfers Paradise, centred at the Mantra on View Hotel.
Zoom In
Australian Lion Tony Benbow OAM, a long-serving volunteer, was elected as Third Vice International President at last month’s Lions International Convention in Orlando. He will address the forum to outline his global vision for the organisation.
“Volunteering has never been more important and Lions Clubs are uniquely positioned to support communities at every level,” Mr Benbow said. “It’s an absolute honour to be elected as Third Vice International President of this incredible organisation.”
Zoom Out
Lions Clubs International’s global leaders will also attend, including International President AP Singh, Immediate Past President and Chairperson of the International Foundation Fabricio Oliveira, and International First Vice President Mark Lyon.
Lions Australia CEO Rob Oerlemans said the forum will provide an opportunity for members to reflect on impact and plan future contributions. “This forum is an opportunity for Lions to come together, reflect on our impact, be inspired by one another, and plan ahead for an exciting next chapter of making a difference,” he said.
What to look for next?
The Lions Green Canopy Environment Project will continue through to June 2027, with progress towards the ambitious target of one million trees a key measure of ongoing impact.