Cover French ambassador to Malaysia Axel Cruau and Tengku Zatashah during the awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur
French ambassador to Malaysia Axel Cruau and Tengku Zatashah during the awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur
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Tengku Zatashah was recently honoured with the prestigious Officier des Palmes Académiques by the French Republic, recognising her exceptional efforts in promoting French culture and language in Malaysia
Selangor Princess Tengku Datin Paduka Setia Zatashah, has added another accolade to her illustrious list of achievements. On December 3, she was conferred the esteemed Officier des Palmes Académiques by His Excellency Axel Cruau, the French Ambassador to Malaysia, in a distinguished ceremony held at the Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur.
The Palmes Académiques, established in 1808 by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, is one of France’s oldest and most prestigious civil honours. It is bestowed by the French Republic in recognition of outstanding contributions to education and science. Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s daughter was recognised for her tireless promotion of French language and culture in Malaysia, a mission she has passionately championed as president of Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur for the past 12 years.
Read more: Mermaid tales: Make-A-Wish Malaysia grants its 1000th wish this year
Above Tengku Zatashah and His Excellency Axel Cruau
Tengku Zatashah and His Excellency Axel Cruau
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Tengku Zatashah, who is fluent in French, expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the honour, saying she hoped the strong relationship between Malaysia and France would continue to flourish. Her connection with France runs deep, having studied at the renowned La Sorbonne University and earning a magna cum laude Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the American Graduate School in Paris.
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Her passion for French culture extends beyond the classroom, as she spearheads initiatives such as the annual Le French Festival, Malaysia’s largest foreign cultural celebration, which showcases French cinema, gastronomy, music, and the arts. This endeavour has significantly bolstered cultural exchanges between the two nations.
Beyond her role as the president of Alliance Française, Tengku Zatashah is known for her humanitarian work with initiatives like Make-A-Wish Malaysia and the Yayasan Food Bank Malaysia.
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Images: Ambassade de France en Malaise
Sim Wie Boon is the general manager of Tatler Malaysia. Previously the print and digital editor, Sim hails from the land of the hornbills, Sarawak. Sim is now based in Kuala Lumpur and brings more than a decade of experience in the media industry as a journalist and broadcast producer.
As a self-proclaimed geriatric millennial, he appreciates the finer things in life, from savouring a sip of single malt whisky to relishing in the deliciousness of char siew. While reminiscing about the indie-sleaze era, Sim now finds solace in the soothing tunes of ambient music, staying active through running and occasionally succumbing to the addictive world of doom scrolling.
Follow him on Instagram or Threads at @simwb
