Arif Anis, a well-known novelist and columnist for the Express, has been awarded the highest honors by the city of London for the first time.
Arif has been elevated to the rank of Freeman of the City that is London’s highest bestowed honor. The honor was awarded at a ceremony held at the Chamberlain Court of the Guild Hall. He is also one of the founders of the David Beckham-backed One Million Meals campaign.
People who were not owned by a lord in feudal society were known as “freemen” in medieval times. They were granted certain rights, including the right to work and own land. The term “freedom of the city” refers to a city’s residents who were protected by the charter of their town or city.
The thought leader is a globally renowned speaker of Pakistani origin, his books Habits of Success, I’MPOSSIBLE, and Made in Crises were all bestsellers. Arif Anis is a leadership development expert who has joined ranks with the high achievers receiving the Freeman or Free Sister recognition. The award has previously been given to prominent figures in the sectors of politics, business, and the entertainment industry.
The “One Million Meals” campaign was launched by Spice Village towards the end of March 2020 during the first lockdown of COVID-19. This was done during the Covid-19 outbreak, when restaurants were closed, to feed NHS workers. Food and drink were given to thousands of workers in the United Kingdom who were on the front lines at multiple locations. Food from a variety of Asian and Caribbean restaurants was given away for free as part of the campaign.
For their exceptional efforts to help those in need and support the National Health Services (NHS), Boris Johnson awarded ‘One Million Meals’ on May 13th, 2021, the British Prime Minister recognised the campaign’s creators with a Points of Light Award. The campaign won a gold award in the Best Response To Covid category at the Institute of Sales Promotion Awards.
