During a moving ceremony at the 2000 AGM the Association recognised Paul Laridon as its first honorary member. Paul was given a beautiful certificate and the following citation was read out on the occasion. Congratulations to Paul!

Citation read on the occasion of Paul Laridon becoming an honorary member of AMESA

Today we recognise Professor Paul Laridon for his outstanding contribution to this Association and to Mathematics education in South Africa. He believes in teachers, and in the important role of schools in teaching mathematics to our youth. His contribution to Mathematics education is characterised by its extent (both breadth and depth), its quality and his utter commitment over at least three decades.

In his role as a Mathematics educator at University of the Witswatersrand, Paul first taught methodology to pre-service secondary mathematics teachers. He later developed programmes at graduate level and has supervised many students through both honours and masters level programmes. There are, no doubt, many in this audience who have been students of Paul in one way or another.

In 1990, Paul, together with colleagues John Bradley and Margaret Rutherford conceptualised the Centre for Research and Development in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (RADMASTE). Under Paul's tireless direction, RADMASTE research and development work in Mathematics education has now expanded to all nine provinces, with 10 full time staff contributing to numerous projects.

Students in schools experience his influence on the learning of Mathematics as they use his textbook. Thousands of students who have studied Mathematics at school over the past fifteen years have done so by studying from Laridon et al's textbook series Classroom Mathematics.

Within AMESA, Paul's reputation and the respect he enjoys cannot adequately be summarised in this citation. For many years he played a significant and influential role in what was then the Southern Transvaal Branch of MASA. With the formation of AMESA he continued his immense contribution to both the region and at national level. He was an important member of the organising committee of the Association's first Congress, he established and chaired the Association's Curriculum Committee and continues to be one of the most influential members of the Association. He currently represents the Association on the Review and Modernisation Task Team and the MLMMS SGB.

His complete and utter dedication to the field of Mathematics education from classroom practice to national policy development is an inspiration to those he works with and the AMESA community in particular. Anyone who has worked with or studied under Paul knows that nothing is too much for him. He manages an extraordinary workload, provides unwavering and quality support to all and remains an approachable, generous and humble man.