By Tess Ikonomou in Canberra

Kbora Ali was separated from her father for several years after he and other Afghan refugees were rescued at sea by the Australian Navy more than 20 years ago.

The 28-year-old flying officer has become one of the most junior people to deliver the Anzac Day commemorative address at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

“It’s honestly the biggest honour of my whole life, being able to speak on behalf of thousands of men and women who have served before me and who are currently serving,” she said following the speech.

“It’s huge to be able to stand on that stage and have words that resonate with a lot of people.”

She became the first female of Afghan descent to join the Australian Army in 2016, before transferring to the air force in 2022.

“Wearing the uniform, there’s a sense of responsibility to give back and I felt that since I arrived in Australia, everything that we have here the opportunities and education, I feel super grateful,” she said.

“I made a promise to give back when I was really young, and I could do that in uniform.”

About 35,000 people have attended the annual service in the nation’s capital.

Crowds packed the Australian War Memorial’s forecourt as lines of people spilled down Anzac Parade in Canberra.

A group of people performed the traditional Maori haka outside the war memorial after the dawn service finished.

Australian War Memorial Director Matt Anderson said he was very proud of the increase in the number of people attending the dawn service this year.

“There’s something about me standing in the privileged position I have looking back out over the crowd to just watch them as the dawn arrives,” he said.

“You get a sense of the depth of the crowd, the number of people, the age of the people … to see the veterans, to see people wearing their medals on their left or their family’s medals on their right.

“It is a really powerful, poignant moment for me, of both personal and national pride.”