In Paris today the Moroccan writer and poet, Tahar Ben Jelloun is to be awarded the insignia of Officer of the French National Order of Merit (Ordre national français du Mérite) by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The ceremony will take place at the Elysée Palace.Mr. Benjelloun had previously received the Knight insignia of the National order from late President, François Mitterrand.
Born in Fez in 1944, Tahar Ben Jelloun worked as a philosophy Professor in Tetouan and then in Casablanca. In 1971, he traveled to France to pursue his studies, and has lived there ever since.
His most famous novel, La Nuit Sacrée, won the Prix Goncourt in 1987, and was translated to 43 languages. Other works include, Le Racisme Expliqué à Ma Fille, Sur Ma Mère and L’homme Rompu.
In 2004, he was awarded the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award for Cette Aveuglante Absence de Lumière (This Blinding Absence of Light) in September 2006. He was also awarded a special prize for "peace and friendship between peoples" at Lazio between Europe and the Mediterranean Festival.
Mr. Benjeloun writes for a number of magazines as well as the French daily Le Monde.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
No comments:
Post a Comment