BOSTON — Former President Joe Biden is set to return to Boston this Sunday, where he’ll receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Edward M. Kennedy Institute — his first major public appearance since beginning treatment for prostate cancer.

The ceremony, marking the Institute’s 10th anniversary, will also honor former Labor Secretary and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and retired U.S. Navy Admiral Lisa Franchetti with Awards for Inspired Leadership. Former Secretary of State John Kerry will serve as honorary chair for the event.

Organizers say the celebration aims to highlight leaders who have dedicated their lives to public service and improving communities. Victoria Reggie Kennedy, co-founder of the Institute and widow of the late senator, said Biden, Walsh, and Franchetti “are all such exemplary and inspiring leaders.”

Biden’s return to Boston comes at a complicated moment in his public life. After leaving office earlier this year, he continues to face scrutiny over the economy, rising inflation, and the ongoing challenges at the U.S. southern border — issues that defined much of his presidency. Supporters credit him with guiding the nation through the pandemic and passing major infrastructure and climate legislation, while critics argue his policies contributed to higher costs of living and a record surge in migrant crossings.

As Biden takes the stage alongside other political figures, the evening will serve both as a celebration of public service and a reflection on a presidency that left a deeply divided legacy — one still shaping the nation’s political debate heading into the next election cycle.