In the New Year’s Honours List announced in the United Kingdom on 31 December 2010, Yasmin Waljee has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for services to disadvantaged young Muslims, and Farah Ramzan Golant has been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) for services to the advertising industry.
Meanwhile in Australia, Aladin Rahemtula became the first Ismaili to be named to the Order of Australia. He was conferred the Medal of the Order of Australia on Australia Day, 26 January 2011, and can now carry the designation OAM after his name.
Order of the British Empire
Twice each year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II acknowledges personal achievement, bravery and services to the United Kingdom by bestowing honours on British and Commonwealth citizens. The most frequent honour distributed is the “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, of which five different titles are awarded. The OBE and CBE are two of these titles, and an individual who is awarded such an honour is entitled to put the appropriate abbreviation after his or her name.
Candidates are identified by public or private bodies, government departments or nominated by members of the public. Depending on their roles, the names of those people selected by committee are sent to the Prime Minister or other members of the Government for a final check prior to being submitted to the Queen for her approval. A complete list is published twice a year, at New Year and on the Queen’s official birthday in June. The awards are then presented by the Queen or another member of the Royal Family (usually the Prince of Wales or the Princess Royal) at investiture ceremonies at Buckingham Palace.
Services to disadvantaged young Muslims
An award-winning international human rights lawyer, Yasmin Waljee OBE graduated from the University of Essex in 2003 with an MA in the Theory and Practice of Human Rights and was named as Essex’s Alumnus of the Year in 2007. Waljee works at the international law firm Hogan Lovells LLP as the International Pro Bono Manager. There, she is responsible for organising and facilitating free legal advice provided by the lawyers at Hogan Lovells to those who cannot afford to pay. She has helped mastermind 18 000 hours of free legal help each year worldwide for a range of people in need including sufferers of domestic violence, victims of the 7 July bombings and people with disabilities. She has also arranged for teams of lawyers to help clean up deprived areas of London.
Waljee received the honour for her work as a founding member and supporter of Mosaic a charity founded by The Prince of Wales in November 2007 to challenge the growing concern around the issues facing young Muslims living in deprived areas of Britain and encourage understanding between people from different backgrounds. The aim is to bring together successful British Muslims to work with, mentor and be role models for disadvantaged young Muslims. Waljee’s personal commitment, leadership and persuasive influencing powers have been instrumental in attracting support for Mosaic from individuals and corporations alike.
Services to the advertising industry
Farah Ramzan Golant CBE is certainly a high flyer as the Executive Chairman of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO (AMV), a hugely successful advertising agency. Having graduated with a joint honours degree in 1987 from Cambridge University, Golant joined AMV shortly afterwards where she has worked for the last 20 years.
During her tenure at the agency, Golant has run a portfolio of clients including Sainsbury’s, BT, Johnson & Johnson and Mars. She has also headed the client service department, winning clients such as Starbucks and Heinz. In 2002, Golant was appointed Managing Director. Two years later, she became Chief Executive and, in 2007, she was invited to sit on the BBDO Worldwide Board. In 2010, she was named Executive Chairman of AMV and Business Woman of the Year by the Asian Women of Achievement Awards. Not one to focus solely on her work, she also enjoys raising her two children and sits on the Boards of the National Theatre and Cancer Research UK.
Order of Australia
In the Australian honours system, appointments to the Order of Australia confer recognition for outstanding achievement and service. The Medal of the Order of Australia is awarded for service worthy of particular recognition.
Nominations to the Order of Australia come directly from the community. The 19-member Council for the Order of Australia then considers the nominations and makes its recommendations directly to the Governor-General. Awards in the Order of Australia are publicly announced on Australia Day in January and the Queen’s Birthday public holiday in June.
Service to librarianship
Aladin Rahemtula, OAM is the Chief Librarian at the Supreme Court of Queensland Library in Brisbane. This Library is the primary legal information service for the Supreme, District and Magistrates Courts. It also services members of the legal profession and those engaged in matters before the courts. He has contributed significantly through his work and personally to the development and preservation of legal history and has been the author of several publications on this topic.
Together with his wife Mary, Rahemtula came to Australia in 1976 from Uganda (via the United Kingdom). After an initial period in Sydney, they have been living in Brisbane since 1983, where they have raised three daughters: Emma Nafisa — a lawyer, Zahra — a teacher and Alyia — a doctor.
Rahemtula’s official citation states: “For service to librarianship through the Supreme Court of Queensland, and to the community through the preservation of legal heritage.”
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