ACCLAIMED South African author André Brink received the Grand Médaille de Vermeil de la Ville de Paris on Tuesday. It is the highest honour given in the French capital and was awarded by mayor Bertrand Delanoë himself.
Mr Brink, a playwright, novelist, essayist and professor of English at the University of Cape Town, has written more than 30 books in both English and Afrikaans. He was extremely influential in bringing classical works of English and French literature into the Afrikaans literary milieu and has more than 60 translations to his name among his many plays and academic papers.
Born in Vrede in 1935, he became one of the key figures in the “Sestigers” literary movement that used Afrikaans to speak out against the apartheid government. Many of his novels tackle the complex history of South Africa, and his most recent, Philida, was written with the newfound knowledge that some of his own ancestors had been involved in the slave trade.
The award is given each year to those who have made significant cultural contributions not just to France, but also to the entire world. Past recipients include Nobel prize-winning scientist Linus Pauling, author-director Paul Auster, actress Jane Fonda, designer Gianni Versace, music mogul Kevin Liles and actor Johnny Depp.
As guest of honour, Mr Brink has been invited to participate in three events as part of the France-South Africa season organised by the Library of Paris. He will be speaking at “What Is the Future for South Africa after Apartheid?” on October 10 and at “Conversations with André Brink” on October 11.