Lord provost honoured by France

Lord Provost Liz Cameron said she was "thrilled" with the award

The Lord Provost of Glasgow said she had "almost fallen over" when told she had been awarded one of France's leading cultural decorations.

Liz Cameron has been made an officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

The honour has been bestowed on playwright Tom Stoppard, actress Uma Thurman and mime artist Marcel Marceau.

Ms Cameron said: "I am greatly honoured to be part of the order. Although it is an honour for me and my family, I believe it is also one for the city."

She received a letter from French Minister of Culture Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres informing her of the honour.

'Convinced Francophile'

The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) was established in 1957 by the minister of culture and confirmed by Charles de Gaulle in 1963.

Its purpose is the recognition of significant contributions to the arts, literature or the propagation of these fields.

READ THE LETTER Letter from the Consul General of France to Glasgow Lord Provost Liz Cameron [13KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here

The letter said the "prestigious award" reflects Ms Cameron's "long strategy ... in the service of culture to open your grand and beautiful metropolis to the languages and cultures of the world, Europe, France in particular."

It said she had contributed to cultural projects in a "remarkable way" and described the lord provost as a "convinced Francophile".

The letter praised her "generosity, humanity and enthusiasm".

Ms Cameron said: "I spoke French at school but it was not until my late 20s when my husband gave me a great present of a journey through that country that I became more and more involved in the language and the culture.

"I love French culture and language.

"I am pleased for myself and the city."

Glasgow recently signed a partnership agreement with Marseilles.