France honours Pakistan Science Foundation’s Chairman
(9 July 2013)
The French Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Philippe Thiébaud, awarded the Chairman of the Pakistan Science foundation, Prof. Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro with the Order of Academic Palms (“Les Palmes Académiques”) in recognition of his major contributions between France and Pakistan in the field of science and technology.
The ceremony was held at the French Embassy in Islamabad in the presence of the guest of honor, Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Zahid Hamid, and more than 30 guests from the scientific community.
The Academic Palms is a distinction initiated by Napoleon in 1808 to reward scholars from the Universities of Paris, it was subsequently extended to individuals who contributed to the French culture and education. Since 1955, the French Ministry of Education has the responsibility to reward personalities in the educational field who, by their actions, have shown outstanding devotion and accomplishments for the promotion of education.
The appointment of Prof. Dr. Soomro as Officer of the Order of Academic Palms is intended to recognize an exceptional career dedicated to the promotion of science and an active contribution to the collaboration between France and Pakistan. Under his leadership, the cooperation between the Pakistan Science Foundation, the French Embassy, and several French Academic Institutions has flourished.
The annual travelling exhibitions and the inquiry-based science programmes are some of the remarkable success of this collaboration. Those projects have aimed at bringing state-of-the-art scientific knowledge to the Pakistani public and encourage students to continue their studies and contribute to research and development. This program is yet another facet of the promotion of higher education in Pakistan, which France strives to promote through numerous fellowships for promising students and academics.
Due to Mr Soomro’s contribution to the field of science, the activities implemented and the values defended by his organization, this award to Manzoor H. Soomro is aimed at valuing commitment to tolerance, open-mindedness and modernity.
