2022 Charles-Biddle Award
The laureates are Nassib El-Husseini for the national/international category
and Khosro Berahmandi for the regional category
Montreal, November 7, 2022 – As part of the launch event of the Semaine québécoise des rencontres interculturelles (SQRI), the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) and Culture pour tous revealed the laureates of the 2022 Charles-Biddle Award. This honour highlights the contributions of immigrants to Quebec whose personal and professional commitment contributes to the province’s cultural and artistic development.
This year, businessman Nassib El-Husseini received the award in the national and international category and painter and artist Khosro Berahmandi received the award in the regional category. Both were awarded a $5,000 cash prize. Télé-Québec's Fabrique culturellealso devoted a video vignette to each of them.
“I am very fortunate to join with the Culture pour tous organization, as part of the Semaine québécoise des rencontres interculturelles, in congratulating the two winners of the 2022 Charles-Biddle Award. I would like to highlight the quality of their artistic works and activities, which have enabled them to distinguish themselves within our communities. Immigrant Quebec artists contribute to the vitality of our regions and enhance Quebec’s cultural landscape. Well done!” The Honourable Christine Fréchette, Minister of Immigration, Francization and Integration
“Every year, Charles-Biddle Award nominees, finalists and laureates demonstrate the degree to which we have a rich and beautiful culture. This edition of the award is no exception. Congratulations to the 2021 winners. Thank you for being an inspiration and doing your part to put Quebec in the forefront. I am proud that Culture pour tous is overseeing the process of giving out the Biddle Award for an 11th consecutive year, in partnership with the Ministry of Immigration, Francization and Integration.” Michel Vallée, President and Chief Executive Officer of Culture pour tous
National and International Category Laureate
Nassib El-Husseini | Businessman
Nassib El-Husseini arrived in Montreal from his native Lebanon in the 1980s. He obtained a PhD degree in political science at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) in 1996 and authored L’Occident Imaginaire, published by the Presses de l'Université du Québec in 1998. In 2003, he crossed paths with seven Cirque du Soleil artists who were determined to make their mark in the contemporary circus world. Sensing an adventure in the making, El-Husseini and his exceptional team promoted them around the world. Nowadays, the 7 Fingers creative collective is a Quebec circus company that puts on the highest annual number of performances abroad. A skilled team builder, CEO Nassib El-Husseini has been able to create and maintain consistency and harmony among the seven co-founders and fellow artistic directors, thereby ensuring the collective’s exceptional longevity and generating huge audiences for its performances.
Regional Category Laureate
Khosro Berahmandi | Painter and artist Born in Tehran, Iran, Khosro Berahmandi is a visual artist and cultural worker. A prolific creater, he has put on more than 50 collective and individual exhibitions in Canada, Europe and the United States. He joined the Festival Accès Asie as a volunteer in 1997 and continued providing support for all aspects of the event until becoming Managing Director in 2000 and later Artistic Director in 2012. Through his work, he helps raise awareness of the richness and diversity of Asian cultures and has adopted interculturalism as his personal mission to combat racial stereotyping and dispel prejudice against people of Asian background. His commitment going back 25 years has been highlighted by more than 400 local, regional, national and international events during which approximately 1,200 artists of Asian background were featured. Khosro Berahmandi has provided immigrant artists with a voice by helping them get represented and by developing relationships between cultural players across Quebec.
To obtain additional information about the Charles Biddle Award and its finalists, go to the Culture pour tous Facebook page or the website of Quebec’s Department of Immigration, Francization and Integration.
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Sources :
Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI)
Culture pour tous
Media requests :
Marie-Noël Phaneuf, annexe
marienoel@annexe.media / 514 553-2570
