| Joseph Assaf | |
| Native Name: | Arabic: جوزيف عساف |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Birth Date: | 20 November 1944 |
| Birth Place: | Hardine, Lebanon |
| Education: | University of Sydney (BA) UNSW (Diploma) |
| Children: | 3 |
Joseph Assaf (Arabic: جوزيف عساف; born 1944) is a Lebanese-born Australian businessman and founder of the Ethnic Business Awards.
Assaf was born in Hardine, a village in the Batroun District, 80 km from Beirut, Lebanon.[1] His first language was Arabic, and he undertook his schooling in French. In 1967, at the age of 22, he migrated to Australia from Lebanon.[2]
In 1988, Assaf founded the Ethnic Business Awards.[3]
In 2008, Jascom International Pty Ltd published Assaf's book In Someone Else's Shoes, a memoir detailing his experiences as a migrant in Australia.[4] It also explores his understanding of Australian society in the context of multiculturalism.[5]
In June 2013, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the appointment of Assaf to the Civil Society 20 group – the C20 – as part of the wider engagement process for the G20 meeting in Australia in 2014.[6]
In 2014, Assaf was interviewed for the National Archives of Australia's touring exhibition A Ticket to Paradise? for the National Collecting Institution's Touring and Outreach Program.
On 14 June 2010, Assaf was named a Member of the Order of Australia "for service to multiculturalism, to business in the fields of marketing and communications, and to the community as a supporter of a range of charitable organisations."[7]
On 11 June 2018, Assaf was named an Officer of the Order of Australia "for distinguished service to multiculturalism, and to business, as a supporter of community education projects for people from linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to cultural harmony and inclusion."[8] [9]
In 2019 the City of Canada Bay in New South Wales named Assaf citizen of the year.News: City of Canada Bay citizen of the year Joseph Assaf. Daily Telegraph. 26 January 2019. https://archive.today/20211021111107/https://amp.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/inner-west/joseph-assaf-a-pioneer-of-communicating-with-diversity/news-story/489e192c256dcaa282bbdaf61bd6daf9. 21 October 2021. Joseph Assaf a pioneer of communicating with diversity. 21 October 2021. live.