The winner of the 2024 Language Services Medal is Dr Raymond Chakhachiro.
This award recognises the achievements of an interpreter or translator for the role they play in ensuring that the community of NSW has access to essential information and services.
For more than 30 years, Dr Chakhachiro has worked as a NAATI certified Arabic Interpreter and Translator, and University lecturer in NSW.
Raymond’s exemplary services provided to customers and NSW Courts, NSW Police and other key agencies, has ensured that people whose first language is not English are active participants in proceedings and procedural fairness is afforded.
He is a leading educator, academic and professional within the language services industry. His work in translation and transcription has led the way in best practice.
Raymond is an adjunct fellow at the University of Western Sydney, Languages, Interpreting and Translation and has been an examiner with the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) for over two decades.
Arabic is his native language, and in addition to English as a working language, he has advanced proficiency in French reading and listening.
Prior to migrating to Australia in 1988, Raymond worked as a full-time primary and intermediate school teacher, a part-time physical education teacher, and a basketball coach for 15 years in Lebanon, his native country.
Raymond earned his Diploma in Teaching from Lebanon, and his Bachelor of Interpreting and Translation and PhD in translation from Western Sydney University.
As a leading subject matter expert in the language services industry, Raymond has published on the theory and practice of interpreting, translation, revision, and the translation and transcription of evidentiary audio recordings.
“I believe providing language services to community members, especially in court settings, is key to breaking down barriers to justice and to ensuring procedural fairness,” says Raymond.
Raymond is a highly committed and passionate professional and academic in the language services industry who is always accessible to the communities of NSW.