Honoured and humbled would best describe Emeritus Professor Rifaat Yassa Ebied's reaction upon hearing he was a recipient of this year's King's Birthday Honour.
He receives a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to education, particularly semitic studies.
The Sylvania resident was chairman of the NSW Board of Studies Arabic Syllabus Committee from 1981-2001, and was on the examination and marking committee.
He was instrumental in designing and introducing arabic curricula offered in the Higher School Certificate, and was a translator and interpreter.
Professor Ebied was president of the Australian Egyptian Forum Council, has participated in international conferences and has taught across several tertiary institutions in Australia and overseas.
No stranger to several awards, he was formally rewarded for his work in the 2021 Premier's Multicultural Community Awards for translating language, and the Centenary Medal in 2003 for services to Australia, humanities and Asian studies.
"My academic journey began with holding positions at universities in Egypt and England," Professor Ebied said. "It culminated with my appointment as foundation professor of semitic studies at the University of Sydney in 1979.
"Subsequent to my arrival in Australia, I played an important role in the study and publication of ancient documents, numerous books and articles of edited arabic, hebrew and syriac texts.
"One priority I had during the early 1980s was to introduce the teaching of the arabic language in day schools in NSW and subsequently nationally which entailed designing four arabic courses in my capacity as chair of the Arabic Syllabus Committee and Arabic Examination Committee of the Board of Studies (1981-2001)."
Anyone can nominate any Australian for an award in the Order of Australia. If you know someone worthy, nominate them.
