"For more than five decades he's pounded the pavements of Paris, becoming part of the city's cultural fabric as he strikes up conversations, greets longtime friends and offers parodies of daily news headlines. On Wednesday, the efforts of the man believed to be France's last newspaper hawker were recognised, as Ali Akbar, a 73-year-old originally from Pakistan, received one of France's most prestigious honours."
"A warm voice that, every day for more than 50 years, has boomed across the terraces of Saint-Germain, making its way between restaurant tables. Speaking to Reuters in August, Akbar highlighted the delight he got from walking through Paris each day. It's love, Akbar said as he crisscrossed the cobbled streets of Saint Germain-des-Pres. If it was for the money, I could do something else. But I have a great time with these people."
Ali Akbar, a 73-year-old Pakistan-born newspaper hawker, has sold newspapers across Paris for more than five decades and became a fixture in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. He was made a knight of the National Order of Merit at a ceremony at the Élysée Palace, with President Emmanuel Macron calling him "the most French of the French" and praising his voice across the terraces. Akbar arrived in Paris in 1973, overcame visa problems, and joined newspaper sellers with help from an Argentinian student. He supported his parents and seven siblings, earned a modest living, greeted longtime friends, parodied headlines, and says he sells papers out of love for the city.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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