News
France confers award on Tehmina Durrani
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of France to Pakistan HE Philippe Thiébaud conferred the prestigious French award of the “Order of Arts and Letters” (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) on Tehmina Durrani on July 24 at the French Residence in Islamabad.
President Charles de Gaulle established this award and its purpose is the recognition of significant meritorious contributions to the arts, literature or propagation of these fields. The recipients of this award are French nationals as well as prestigious foreign writers, artists and musicians.
Tehmina Durrani’s first book “My Feudal Lord” has been translated into 39 languages and has received many awards and recognition in the country and abroad. Her second book “A Mirror to the Blind”, a biography of Abdul Sattar Edhi, narrates the country’s renowned and highly decorated social worker. Her third book “Blasphemy” was another success. This book also made it as the country’s bestseller. She has been engaged in highlighting gender-based violence in the country’s rural and urban society. The 2012 book launch of “Happy Things in Sorrow Times” is a novel with 35 watercolor illustrations done in Kandahar at an Afghan refugee camp.
Before conferring the Award, Ambassador Philippe Thiébaud highlighted the literary and social work done by her, a famous writer, an activist and an artist, and said that this award was a recognition of her achievements. The ambassador quoted the famous French writer, André Malraux, “Culture is the soul of democracy and freedom”.
Tehmina Durrani thanked the French government for bestowing the award upon her and also thanking Ambassador Thiébaud for hosting the award ceremony. She highlighted her passion for social work particularly relating to women’s empowerment and at the end of the ceremony she signed her book “Happy Things in Sorrow Times” for her friends and well-wishers present on this occasion.
Diplomats, representatives of media and particularly many friends of Tehmina Durrani attended the reception.Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk