Known Tajik writer Gulsifat Shahidi has congratulated British Queen Elizabeth II on the upcoming Christmas and presented her book Tales of Grandma Gulsifat to the Queen and her great-grandchildren.
In her letter of congratulations, Gulsifat Shahidi reportedly expressed hope that the difficult 2020 will go away with all the trials and the prosperous 2021 will come.
“I attached as a gift to the Queen and her great-grandchildren my book Tales of Grandma Gulsifat that was published in English,” Mrs. Shahidi told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to her, “the answer from Buckingham Palace was not long in coming.”
“About nine days later, Lady Susan Hussey, a Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, expressed gratitude to me on behalf of the Queen for my congratulations and present,” Mrs. Shahidi noted.
Recall, a collection of stories Afsonahoi Gulsifat Bibijon (Tales of Grandma Gulsifat) by Tajik writer Gulsifat Shahidi was presented in Tajikistan in May 2019.
Many children with their parents came to get acquainted with heroes of fairy tales in a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Each person will find something both attractive and instructive in these stories. The heroes of these fairy tales: a wounded dove which refuses to surrender, a tricky monkey called Cutie, an old-time doll named Alyonushka, a naive lamb, a young wolf which does not want to grow bloodthirsty, and other animals will tell their stories to readers.
Tales of Grandma Gulsifat was published in three languages: Tajik, Russia and English.
Tales of Grandma Gulsifat has been recognized the best in the “Best Author” nomination of Hertfordshire Press Literary Award 2018.
Organized by Eurasian Creative Guild, an awarding ceremony for the winners took place at the British Library Knowledge Center in London on January 11, 2019.
Besides, Gulsifat Shahidi was awarded the “Dove of Peace” medal in 2015 for the best work on the topic of strengthening of peace, friendship and mutual understanding between people. The medal, which is the highest award of the “Generals of the World Are for Peace” Association, was handed over to Gulsifat Shahidi on the sidelines of the Fourth International literary festival and forum “Open Eurasia and Central Asia Book Forum & Literature Festival – 2015,” which was held in London from November 6 to 9, 2015.
In March 2016, The City Where Dreams Come True by Gulsifat Shahidi was presented in London. The City Where Dreams Come True is a collection of four stories viewed from the perspective of three generations. Gulsifat Shahidi presents a rare and poignant insight into the impact which Tajikistan’s civil war had on its people and its culture during the early 1990s.
