Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, while accepting the Prestigious Medal of Commander in the National Order of the Legion of Honour, the highest rank of the National Order of France yesterday, recalled the experiences of her student life in Paris. ‘

Jean-Marin Schuh, Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, presented the Medal of “Commandeur de la Légion D'Honneur” on behalf of Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, at a special function held at the Residence of the Ambassador of France yesterday.

The former President, in her acceptance speech, said, “I am specially delighted that this recognition of my life’s work comes from a country I consider my second home.

The generosity of the Government of France in granting me a scholarship for the entirety of my university studies in France opened up new vistas for the unhindered development of my personality and my knowledge today, while giving me the opportunity for new experiences enriched with the eternal values of Liberty and Equality. It gave me possibility of learning of the beauty and necessity of diversity.

The ethical values I learnt from parents – values of Honesty at all costs, unswerving commitment to the causes I believe in, loyalty and friendship – were offered the opportunity to blossom fully, in the freedom of Parisian student life.

I learnt to manage financially entirely on the stipend given to me as a scholarship student, as the Government Sri Lanka did not, permit exchange to be repatriated for undergraduate studies. At that time, I existed as many other students on subsidized meals from the university canteens, subsidized public transport, and at times foregoing meals to save money for theatre and ballet. I also learnt to do jobs – teaching English or menial jobs such as baby sitting and sweeping floors, washing dishes in my university hostel.

Thus I learnt what it is to be poor – something I may never have done in my country! I also learnt sharpen my inclination to militancy that I seemed to have harboured from a young age, when “May ‘68” exploded before us. I was on the barricades, in demonstrations, organising workers to protest, engaged in passionate dialogues and meetings till the wee hours of the mornings. For me, “May ‘68” was a marvelous explosion of free thought, of fraternity between youth belonging to every community – ethnic, religious, political.

I remember the day an Officer of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Paris called me to say that the French Police wished to see me. Our Diplomatic Officer kindly accompanied me to the Police. I was told firmly, that if I did not stop engaging in anti-Government activity, I’d be put on a plane and deported home!”