Uniting Influence
WILSON Younan believes the OAM he was awarded this Queen's birthday weekend is an honour for the Assyrian community.
Mr Younan, of Cecil Hills, was awarded his OAM for services to the Assyrian community in Australia, particularly as a broadcaster and journalist.
He has been the executive producer and a journalist with the SBS Assyrian lang-uage program since 1993.
But he also helps Assyrian migrants who have just arrived in Australia to find homes and jobs.
"I believe my greatest achievement has been to bring the Assyrian community together in difficult times," he said.
The community has at times been extremely divided, with two branches of the community in NSW taking legal action against each other nearly 10 years ago.
Mr Younan was instrumental in helping people move beyond this friction.
Today Mr Younnan's program reaches audiences in a range of countries through the internet, so he believes he can help people throughout the world.
"I was very surprised but very delighted to find I had been honoured with the OAM," he said.
Mr Younnan was born in Iraq and spent his youth in an orphanage before arriving in Australia as a refugee with his wife Ismar.
He started his life in Australia as a cleaner but quickly became the branch manager of a Victorian cleaning business, which soon rapidly expanded.
As well as being dedicated to the Assyrian community, he said he loves Australia.
"Australia is one of the best countries in the world.
"I tell people this as much as I can," he said.
By Margaret Rice
http://liverpool-leader.whereilive.com.au