Hossein Alizadeh, the prominent Iranian musician and classical Iranian music expert, has refused the Order of France, called l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Chevalier, which acknowledges contributions to the arts and literature in France and all across the world.
ISNA reports that in an open letter, he expressed his appreciation for the gesture by French officials, but out of respect for the art-nurturing and art-loving people of Iran, he will be content with the name of Hossein Alizadeh and refrain from adding any prefixes or suffixes to it.
France has given the Order of France to several Iranian figures such as Nobel peace laureate Shirin Ebadi, filmmakers Abbas Kiarostami and Asghar Farhadi, and actress Leyla Hatami.
On November 16, it was bestowed on Mohammad Dowlatabadi, the prominent Iranian writer.
Recently, Iranian conductor Ali Rahbari, who resides in Austria, has commented on the unprecedented speed with which France is handing out the Order of France among Iranians and suggested that Alizadeh should perhaps refuse it.
