The Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland, in partnership with SCILT (Scotland's National Centre for Languages), established an essay prize in honour of Madame Jacqueline Munro-Lafon’s long and active life in the Franco-Scottish Community and to mark her one hundredth birthday.

Madame Munro-Lafon was the epitome of Franco-Scottishness and a “modern woman”. She was born in Paris on 27 January 1921 and spent her early years living comfortably with her family in the Latin Quarter.

She studied journalism and during her years as a student she became politically active, with a particular interest in demonstrating for the rights of workers and of women. But her career was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War, living through the difficulties of the Nazi Occupation of Paris and its liberation.

Immediately after the war she joined the French Army and was assigned to British Forces as a liaison officer. While in the army she met her future husband, Major Hamish Munro. After marrying in Paris they moved to England and then settled in Scotland in 1960.

She experienced huge changes during her lifetime in France and Scotland. In her working life she promoted French culture throughout Scotland, particularly in her work for the French Institute in Glasgow.

In later life she maintained an interest in the arts, progressive politics and in current affairs. It was therefore very fitting that the title of the essay in her honour was La seule constante c’est le changement : La vie en France et en Ecosse 1921 – 2021.

Pupils from across Scotland took part in the competition and are to be congratulated on the quality of their essays. The awards ceremony was held by Zoom on Tuesday 15 June 2021, with the participation of Madame La Consule Générale, Laurence Païs, and Jacqueline’s son, Jerome Munro-Lafon.

View the awards ceremony which includes a short extract from each finalist’s essay – read by its author.

The winner’s essay will also be published in the Franco-Scottish Society Bulletin, 2021 issue.