Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso received the French award of the Commander of the Order of Academic Palms at the event held at the Royal Palace in Maseru on Thursday.
The Order of Academic Palms is the oldest civilian order in France given to persons who have demonstrated an exceptional interest and commitment in the sphere of education.
When receiving the award, Her Majesty thanked the French Ambassador for the award, saying she is receiving the award on behalf of Basotho who contributed in empowering young people to become better citizens of the country.
She expressed hope that the award will serve a motivation and fuel their (youth) interest to learn the French language.
Her Majesty further noted that the award will serve as a reminder of a milestone that Lesotho and France reached in the areas of French education and cooperation the two nations share, expressing hope that it will also deepen their existing relations.
Meanwhile, when presenting the award, France Ambassador to Lesotho, Mr. Christophe Farnaud commended Her Majesty for showing commitment and dedication to French education, saying she passed two examinations with good results.
He added that Her Majesty did not only learn French language but also learned the French culture in all aspects, noting that teaching French remains one of their goals in Lesotho.
He said both countries share mutual relations in the areas of tourism and culture among others, which he stressed are cemented by French language.
In conclusion, Ambassador Farnaud commended Her Majesty the Queen for her passion for French education, saying she has also transferred it to Princess Senate Seeiso.
He wished her the best in her studies.
Her Majesty is a French language learner at the Alliance Françoise and was nominated for the award because of her exceptional commitment towards education and other related projects such as the Queen’s National Trust Fund, Hlokomela Bana and Hlokomela Banana.