El Telegraph newspaper chief Antoine Kazzi awarded OAM

Antoine Kazzi’s life has been as full as the pages of El Telegraph, the newspaper he oversees, featuring triumphs and service to the Lebanese community. He will receive an Medal of the Order of Australia today.

Tony Kazzi, editor-in-chief of Arabic newspaper El Telegraph in his office in Bankstown. Mr Kazzi has been awarded an OAM. Picture: Dan Himbrechts

Antoine Kazzi’s life has been as full as the pages of El Telegraph, the newspaper he oversees as editor-in-chief.

It has been dotted with triumphs in journalism and service to the Lebanese community, which is why today, Mr Kazzi will receive a Medal of the Order of Australia.

The Greenacre father-of-three arrived in Australia on December 2, 1988, when his village of Jieh was destroyed.

He joined 750 families who fled Jieh to make a new home in Australia.

The former language teacher took a job as a weekly columnist for the Sada Loubnan newspaper.

Within two years he was the editor of Australia’s largest Arabic newspaper, Bankstown-based El Telegraph and in another two years, he was named editor-in-chief, a position Mr Kazzi still holds 25 years later.

His daily column is a social commentary on major Middle Eastern and Australian matters and in 2013, his investigative piece on the anti-Islam film protests in Hyde Park led to NSW Premier presenting Mr Kazzi with best feature of the year.

But there are more strings to Mr Kazzi’s bow.

He’s also a writer, poet, and proud grandfather of three.

In between overseeing El Telegraph and writing a daily column for the paper, Mr Kazzi has authored 17 books — five published in Australia.

He also established the first Lebanese youth parliament in Australia.

Mr Kazzi has dedicated a lifetime to forging strong relations between Lebanon and Australia and his message is consistent.

“We should give Australia what we can, because Australia has given us what our country of origin didn’t give us,” Mr Kazzi said.

“We are proud like Australians because every person who lives in this lucky country are lucky people.”

He said he felt incredibly honoured and “humbled to be among many great Australians who have received this recognition before me.”

“I thank Australia and the people of Australia,” Mr Kazzi said.

“I also wish to thank the members of the Australian Lebanese and Arab community for their support, especially those who endeavour to promote peace and work hard to contribute to our great nation, Australia.”