Ansar M Bhatti
Islamabad, October 2, 2025 — The Ambassador of France to Pakistan, Nicolas Galey, conferred the insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on Ms. Fizza Hasan, renowned theatre director and cultural activist, at a ceremony hosted at the French Residency. The award is one of France’s highest honors in the field of arts and literature.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Galey lauded Ms. Hasan’s remarkable contributions to promoting French language, literature, and theatre in Pakistan. He noted that the French government has been honoring outstanding figures in the arts since 1957 through this order, which symbolizes France’s gratitude for singular cultural achievements.
Highlighting her diverse background, Ambassador Galey recalled that Ms. Hasan was born in London and grew up in Pakistan as well as in Africa, where she first learned French at the Alliance Française in Accra. She later pursued advanced studies in French at NUML in Islamabad and Université Stendhal in Grenoble, before teaching at Alliance Française Islamabad and serving as its Director of Studies.
In 2004, Hasan founded Theatre Wallay, a group that has since become a vibrant platform for theatre in Pakistan. Under her leadership, the group has staged acclaimed adaptations of French classics such as Molière’s Tartuffe and L’école des Femmes, Eugène Ionesco’s La Leçon, Jean Anouilh’s Antigone, and Jean-Paul Sartre’s Huis Clos. Ambassador Galey underlined that through these productions, Ms. Hasan introduced thousands of Pakistanis to the universal themes of French theatre, while also fostering dialogue, reflection, and critical thinking.
Beyond French classics, Theatre Wallay has encouraged original works addressing social debates in Pakistan, which the ambassador described as being in harmony with France’s cultural diplomacy—championing creativity, expression, and free thought.
“Dear Fizza Hasan, as we celebrate your entry into the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, we do so with gratitude, admiration, and the wish that your passion for theatre and the French language may remain firm,” Ambassador Galey remarked. “Your work has given Pakistani audiences access to France’s theatre tradition, while also creating a precious space for dialogue and critical expression.”
At the close of the ceremony, Ms. Hasan was formally decorated with the insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on behalf of the French Minister of Culture.
In her rather emotional speech after receiving a prestigious award from the French government, Ms. Fizza Hasan expressed deep gratitude for the recognition. She thanked the French government for honoring her contributions and shared her personal journey of learning the French language.
Ms. Hasan recalled how she was first encouraged by her family to pursue French and spoke warmly of the support she received throughout the process. She emphasized that her late husband played a central role in inspiring her to learn the language, describing him as her guiding force and true motivation.
She said the award was not just an individual achievement but a tribute to her family’s encouragement and constant support. Ms. Hasan dedicated the honor to her loved ones, colleagues, and students, stressing that without them her accomplishments in promoting French culture and language in Pakistan would not have been possible.
