In a prestigious official ceremony hosted at the French Senate in Paris, several distinguished archaeology experts from Libya and France were decorated with the Order of Arts and Letters (Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) in recognition of their outstanding contributions to safeguarding shared Mediterranean cultural heritage. This high-profile international recognition highlights decades of dedicated scientific research and field excavations that have successfully preserved and documented archaeological sites of immense global historical significance, while fundamentally cementing academic ties between Libyan and French institutions.
The Libyan honorees included prominent academic figures Dr. Mohamed Faraj Al-Faloos, Dr. Mohamed Fakroun, and Dr. Khaled Al-Haddar, who received the decoration for their extensive field leadership, scientific research, and tireless efforts to protect Libya’s historic monuments. Beyond their excavation achievements, these scholars have played a pivotal role in mentoring and training subsequent generations of young Libyan archaeologists, significantly enhancing domestic academic research capabilities and raising the profile of Libya’s cultural treasures on the global stage.
From the French side, the prestigious medal was awarded to key members of the French Archaeological Mission to Libya, including Professor Jean-Jacques Maffre, Professor Vincent Michel, Professor Catherine Dobias, and Dr. Claude Sintes. For over fifty years, these researchers have dedicated their careers to joint scientific expeditions, documenting a wealth of architectural and artifactual history that underscores Libya’s profound civilizational impact on the broader Mediterranean basin throughout classical antiquity.
This recognition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the French Archaeological Mission to Libya, representing one of the most enduring and successful scientific partnerships between the two nations. The Arab World Institute (Institut du Monde Arabe) in Paris has inaugurated a landmark exhibition tracing the history of this half-century collaboration. Running through next October, the exhibition showcases a rare collection of photographs, historical documents, and archival materials that illustrate the shared discoveries of the joint research teams.
The investiture ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the French-Libyan Friendship Committee at the French Senate, the Chargé d’Affaires of the Libyan Embassy in Paris, and the French Ambassador to Libya. Attendees and speakers emphasized that cultural heritage serves as a universal language that transcends geopolitical boundaries, describing the long-term Libyan-French archaeological partnership as a premier model of cultural diplomacy and academic solidarity dedicated to protecting human history.
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