Order of Australia award

All of us at the International Association of Religion Journalists are celebrating with our co-founder Rachael Kohn, who was honored recently with one of Australia’s highest civil honors for public service. On September 4, she was inducted as an Officer of the Order of Australia. The investiture took place at Government House.

You can learn more about Rachael’s work in this earlier profile on our website. That includes a link to her wikipedia page.

What is this honor?

The Commonwealth of Australia’s official summary:

Each and every day, it is the many endeavours of the Australian people that make us the compassionate, ingenious, resilient and harmonious country we are so proud to be.There are some whose contribution goes beyond the ordinary, who make an exceptional and remarkable difference to the nation, to their communities and to the lives of others. It is for these men and women that the Australian honours system exists, providing much deserved recognition, acknowledgement and gratitude on behalf of all Australians. Award recipients come from all walks of life, each with their own unique skills, interests and passions, but also sharing a common belief in Australia and all we are capable of. It is with great drive, energy and sheer will these admirable Australians lead the way in shaping our nation and our sense of self. Australia is a stronger, better and more resilient nation thanks to the efforts of our extraordinary citizens. Together, we say thank you, openly, wholeheartedly and unreservedly.

You can learn much more about the design of the award, plus its history and legacy via this online PDF-format brochure.