Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, ADMAF, has been awarded the Chevalier Insigna in the French National Order of the Legion of Honour, as decreed by the French President Emmanuel Macron.

The honour was awarded in recognition of her significant contribution to the development and promotion of the UAE’s cultural sector and its cultural cooperation with France.

This highest French distinction was conferred by the French Minister of Culture, Francoise Nyssen, on behalf of President Macron during a special ceremony in the residence of Ludovic Pouille, French Ambassador to the UAE in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Speaker of Federal National Council, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Group CEO & Managing Director at Mubadala, Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, President of Zayed University, and Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General at the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi.

Upon receiving the award, AlKhamis-Kanoo said, "I wish to express my sincere thanks to the wise leadership of the United Arab Emirates for their continued dedicated support of ADMAF, their encouragement makes ADMAF’s work possible. I also wish to express my sincere thanks to President Emmanuel Macron for bestowing this honour upon me and to thank the French Minister of Culture, Mrs. Francoise Nyssen for presiding over this special ceremony.

The French Ambassador Ludovic Pouille said, "With this award, we celebrate the outstanding contribution of Huda AlKhamis-Kanoo to the French-Emirati friendship and to the blooming of our cooperation in the cultural field. It spotlights her exceptional commitment towards the promotion of arts, culture and humanities, through the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, which she founded and leads with a unique vision."

ADMAF enjoys a long and fruitful history of cultural collaboration with France which has seen the foundation presenting performances by leading French artists both at home, as part of the annual Abu Dhabi Festival, and overseas.