Ottoman heir Kenize Murad awarded France’s prestigious Legion d’Honneur

Kenize Murad, Ottoman heir, the Turkish-descended writer and journalist, has been awarded one of France’s highest distinctions, the Legion d’Honneur. The award was presented to her by celebrated Lebanese-French author and Permanent Secretary of the French Academy Amin Maalouf during a ceremony held in Paris on the evening of April 8.

The event was attended by numerous writers, historians, and journalists from Türkiye, France, and the Middle East. Renowned ney artist Kudsi Erguner also performed a brief concert to celebrate the occasion.

French President Emmanuel Macron sent a letter to Murad, commending her significant contributions to literature and journalism, which earned her the prestigious award.

Kenize Murad’s legacy: From orphan to literary icon

Kenize Murad’s works have earned her recognition for exploring complex cultural identities, particularly in relation to the Middle East. Murad, who has extensively covered the Palestinian cause and human rights issues, is known for her ability to bridge the cultural divide between East and West through her writing.

Amin Maalouf, reflecting on Murad’s life, shared that she was born just two and a half months after the start of World War II and lost her mother, Selma Sultan, at the age of two. He further remarked on how Murad uniquely lived the history of the Ottoman Empire, not just as a historical reference but as a personal reality, making her writing particularly poignant. Maalouf also highlighted how Murad’s life was shaped by the upheaval of the empire’s dissolution, a tragedy that affected her family deeply.

Her path led her through orphanages and to a career in journalism with Le Nouvel Observateur, where she covered pivotal regions such as Beirut, Damascus, Amman, Jerusalem, and Istanbul. She later explored her roots in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, sharing her experiences and personal stories in her writings and interviews. Maalouf expressed his joy in presenting her with the award, saying, “I am proud to bestow this honor upon her today.”

Kenize Murad’s personal struggles and search for identity

In her acceptance speech, Kenize Murad shared the personal struggles she faced in reconciling her various identities. She described her writings and books as part of her ongoing journey to understand her true self.

“True identity is being an open person to the world around us,” Murad said. “I offer my respects to France, which taught me the values of honesty and justice, values that we must continue to fight for despite their erosion over time.”

Kenize Murad’s literary journey and recognition

Kenize Murad was born on Nov. 14, 1939, in Paris, as the daughter of Selma Sultan, an Ottoman princess. After losing her mother at the age of 2, she grew up in orphanages and was later raised by a French family. Murad began her journalistic career with Le Nouvel Observateur in 1970.

Murad’s literary breakthrough came in 1987 with the publication of her first novel, “De la part de la princesse morte” (From the Part of the Dead Princess), which gained significant attention. She followed it up with “Les jardins de Badalpour” (The Gardens of Badalpour) in 1998, focusing on identity issues between the East and the West.

A voice for the Middle East: Kenize Murad’s impact

Kenize Murad is also renowned for her investigative journalism, particularly in relation to the Middle East. In 2003, she published “Topragimizin Kokusu, Filistin ve İsrail’in Sesleri” (The Scent of Our Land, Voices of Palestinians and Israelis), a book that featured interviews and portraits of men, women, and children from both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

This book, which sought to capture the human cost of the ongoing conflict, was met with harsh criticism by the media and faced a boycott.