Paris, August 10 (V7N) – Ali Akbar, known as France’s last newspaper hawker, will be awarded the prestigious Order of Merit by President Emmanuel Macron. The 72-year-old Parisian news vendor has sold newspapers on the streets of Paris for over 50 years, becoming a beloved figure in the Saint-Germain neighborhood.

Ali Akbar began his career in 1973, when dozens of hawkers filled the Paris streets. Today, he remains the last of his kind, still shouting the familiar sales call, “Le Monde, Le Monde!” as he sells copies of the renowned French daily and other newspapers.

Born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Ali came to Europe in the late 1960s, working on a cruise ship before settling in Paris in 1973. Over the decades, he became a local favorite, known by everyone from actors and writers to ordinary café-goers. Among the many he met was a young Emmanuel Macron, who once bought newspapers from him during his student days.

Despite the decline in print newspaper sales due to digital news consumption, Ali continues his daily rounds, selling about 30 copies a day in the trendy Saint-Germain area, half of the income from each sale going to him.

Ali expressed nostalgia for the past when he could sell up to 80 copies in an hour, but he remains undeterred by the changes. “People used to crowd around me for the newspaper. Now I have to find customers,” he said.

This exceptional honor by President Macron not only celebrates Ali Akbar’s dedication but also pays tribute to a disappearing profession in the digital age.

END/RH/AJ