The Fundación Chilena del Pacífico held the inaugural Edgardo Boeninger Memorial Lecture on 5 July 2011. Dr. Edgardo Boeninger was the international chair of the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council from 1995 to 1997. He was formerly a member of the Senate and Secretary General of the Presidency of Chile under Patricio Aylwin.

The lecture was delivered by Prof. Gareth Evans AO, QC, former Australian Foreign Minister, Chairman Emeritus of the International Crisis Group, Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne and Chancellor, the Australian National University.

The speech by Prof. Evans was preceded by a brief introduction by Dr. Manfred Wilhelmy and by two other speeches: the first by Prof. Rosa Devés, Pro Rector, Universidad de Chile; the second by former President Patricio Aylwin. While Prof. Devés highlighted Edgardo's contribution to higher education (as Dean of the Faculty of Economics and later as Rector of the University), Aylwin focused on Edgardo's outstanding role in public service, especially under his administration in the position of Minister Secretary General of the Presidency.

The event sponsor was CorpBanca, a Chilean banking group that has generously agreed to support the series. Over 150 people, including former President Ricardo Lagos attended the event, Alejandro Foxley, former Minister and senator, who represents the Boeninger family in the E.B. Memorial Lecture Steering Committee, made a closing statement. 

The Fundación Chilena del Pacífico is the host institution of the Chilean National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation (CHILPEC). Dr. Boeninger was the founding chair of CHILPEC and played an instrumental role in Chile's membership of the Asia-Pacific community.