Jhumpa Lahiri Refuses New York Museum Award Over Palestine Scarf

Pulitzer winning author Jhumpa Lahiri refused to accept an award from New York’s Noguchi Museum protesting its decision to fire three employees for wearing Keffiyeh, an emblem of Palestinian solidarity and resistance.

New York: Pulitzer winning author Jhumpa Lahiri refused to accept an award from New York’s Noguchi Museum protesting its decision to fire three employees for wearing Keffiyeh, an emblem of Palestinian solidarity and resistance.

Noguchi Museum was founded about 40 years ago by Japanese-American designer and sculptor Isamu Noguchi in whose name the award is given every year since its inception in 2014.

The museum came to limelight in August this year for its decision that employees should not wear any clothing or accessories that expressed “political messages, slogans or symbols” during their working hours.

The ban led to the firings of three employees who had worn kaffiyehs to signal solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, according to The New York Times.

Jhumpa Lahiri's decision to refuse the award was announced by the museum issues two days ago.

“Jhumpa Lahiri has chosen to withdraw her acceptance of the 2024 Isamu Noguchi Award in response to our updated dress code policy,” the museum said in a statement on September 25.

Indian origin Lahiri's debut collection of short-stories, Interpreter of Maladies, had won the Pulitzer Prize in 1999. In 2015, she was awarded National Humanities Medal then US President Barack Obama.

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