French ambassador to Tehran Francois Nicoullaud, who granted the title to Sattari on Thursday, said that the title was given to him for his fifty years of cultural activities.
“It is very important for the French nation that great thinkers such as Gaston Bachelard are introduced to Iranian society,” he added.
Sattari also expressed his gratitude, saying, “I always thought that I was alone in all the efforts I made, but I see that the language of culture has brought us closer together. I do not feel lonely any more.”
No Iranian official participated in the ceremony, although several Iranian writers and artists such as Dariush Shayegan, Shahla Haeri, Manuchehr Shahnavaz, Saeid Pursamimi, and Laleh Taqian were among the invited guests.
Iranian editor Reza Seyyed Hosseini and cinematic figure Hushang Kavusi also received the title in the past.
The Officier de l'Orde des Arts et des Lettres title is usually granted to those active in the field of art and culture. It is a way of expressing gratitude to those active in introducing French art and culture to non-French speaking nations.
Sattari, who is an active author and translator, has over seventy books on psychology, mythology, and anthropology to his credit.
He has made a series of studies on ancient Iranian and Islamic texts such as “One Thousand and One Nights”.
His book “The Visage of Women in Iranian Culture” is indicative of his awareness of the role of women in Iran.
RM/ML/HG
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MNA