Javed Khan has been the voice of calm and reason on behalf of the country's 23,000 Muslims in a time of outrage for them and peril for meat exports to the Middle East.
In February, he stepped into the storm of protest over republication of Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in some New Zealand newspapers.
He expressed the disappointment and unhappiness of Muslims at the mockery of their Prophet.
But then he appealed for restrained protest in his community while demanding and eventually gaining an apology for the offence caused.
At the same time, he was using his personal friendship with the Iranian ambassador and working the networks of Muslim diplomats to ensure there was no retaliation in the form of a boycott of New Zealand's products.
"I'm a New Zealander first and foremost and I didn't want to see our country affected in any way by this issue," Mr Khan said yesterday.
His work in the community as president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand is recognised with the award of the Queen's Service Medal. Mr Khan, who lives in Remuera with wife Rahil, is a lawyer for New Zealand Post.
<i>Queen's Birthday Honours:</i> Javed Khan
Javed Khan
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