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List of foreign recipients of the National Order of Merit

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The National Order of Merit is a French order of merit with membership awarded by the President of the French Republic, founded 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle. The order was established to replace the number of ministerial orders previously awarded by numerous ministries, and to create an award for French citizens as well as foreign nationals for distinguished civil or military achievements, though of a lesser level than that required for the award of the Legion of Honour.

Albania

Officier

  • Beqir Ajazi (2002) Editor-in-chief of the "Atdheu" newspaper

Knight

Argentina

Officier

  • Commodore Herberto J. Vicentini. (1987) Argentina Air Force

Armenia

Mher Shahgeldyan politician

Australia

Grand Officer

Commander

Knight

  • Tina Arena Singer-songwriter, recording artist, musical theatre actress, record producer.
  • Commodore Timothy Brown Royal Australian Navy, Director General Submarines.
  • Professor Katherine Daniell BEng(Civil)(Hons)/BA (Adel.), PhD (ANU/AgroParisTech, France), MIEAust, Australian National University.
  • Chris Perrin Australian Naval Veteran. Investiture 25 April 2014
  • Serge Thomann, Councillor and Deputy Mayor of the City of Port Phillip (2008-2016), entrepreneur, photographer. Investiture 7 March 2019 at Raheen by French Ambassador Mr Christophe Penot.

Austria

  • Felix Ermacora Austrian politician and human rights expert.
  • Sabine Herlitschka CEO of Infineon Technologies Austria[2]
  • Andreas Maislinger, Founder of the Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service (Gedenkdienst).
  • Christian H. Schierer, Austrian Trade Commissioner and Commercial Counsellor at the Austrian Embassy

Bangladesh

Knight

  • AHM Mostafizur Rahman researcher in crop production, climate change and food security.[3]

Belgium

Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • Asim Behaderović criminologist and police officer (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Brazil

  • Prof. Nelson Maculan Filho, D.H.R., Brazilian scientist

Canada

Grand Officer

Officier

Chevalier/Knight

  • Marlène Harnois Olympic medalist.
  • David R. Low (awarded in 1988) former Chairman of the Interdepartmental Committee on Space, Vice President of Spar Aerospace and inaugural General Manager of Radarsat International. Former Assistant Secretary to Cabinet in the Privy Council Office and Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of State for Science and Technology.
  • Douglas T. Wright (1993) Engineer and civil servant. President, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo, 1981 to 1993. Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and of the Engineering Institute of Canada. Recipient of the Gold Medal of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers and a founding member of the Prime Minister's National Advisory Board on Science and Technology.

Czech Republic

Commander

Denmark

Grand Cross

Dominican Republic

Chevalier/Knight

  • Ana Rosa Amalia Berges Dreyfous (2009) Juris Doctor, university professor and judge of the Supreme Court of the Dominican Republic

Finland

Grand Cross

France

Knight

Germany

Commander

Haiti

Hong Kong

  • T. K. Ann, industrialist, legislator and sinologist

Iceland

Chevalier/Knight

  • Einar Hermannsson (2017)
  • Ágúst Válfells (father, born in 1934) (1965)

India

Chevalier/Knight

Officier

Indonesia

Grand Cross

Grand Officer

  • General Poniman, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army[29][30]
  • General Rudini, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (1987)[31]
  • Muhammad Noer, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to France
  • Lieutenant General Dading Kalbuadi, Chief of the General Staff of the Indonesian Army

Commander

Officer

  • Prof. Sujudi, Rector of the University of Indonesia (1989)

Iran

Grand Cross

Ireland

Chevalier
  • Professor Kathleen O'Flaherty (1972), academic, writer and Professor of French at University College Cork

Italy

Commander

  • Maestro Goffredo Petrassi, Italian Composer and Conductor. Awarded on 12 December 1980 (awarded with Commander grade of this medal)

Jamaica

Chevalier
  • Paulette Ramsay, Author, Researcher and Professor at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.[44]

Japan

Chevalier/Knight

Kenya

Commander

Kosovo

Officer

  • Valon Murtezaj Professor in Paris and a Kosovan politician

Lebanon

Officier
Chevalier/Knight
  • Professor Sanaa Sabbah
  • Nada Sardouk
  • Nora Joumblatt

Malaysia

Chevalier / Knight

  • Alvin Michael Hew (2004) - L'Oreal Managing Director Malaysia & Taiwan - awarded by President Jacques Chirac
  • SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin - NAZA bizman.
  • Jamaliyah Ambia (1996) - She served as the Head of French bank, La Societe Generale for 15 years in Malaysia (1983-1998),[47] was President of l'Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur (AFKL) for 10 years (1996-2006), member, treasurer and Deputy President of AFKL since 1978,[48] former president of non profit NGO Soroptimist Malaysia, together with Tunku Dato’ Seri Utama Naquiyuddin they both were founding members of MAFRETA (Malaysia-France Economic & Trade Association) and was Director of Marketing at Airbus Group Malaysia for 14 years (2003-2017). Currently works as a consultant for various French defence companies in Malaysia and Singapore. She was awarded the Chevalier medal by Jacques Chirac in 1996 for promoting trade, investment and culture between France and Malaysia.

Commander

Officier

  • Datin Chan-Low Kam Yoke (2005), Group CEO, HELP University appointed by President Jacques Chirac for her contribution to the development of educational and cultural collaboration between France and Malaysia
  • Md Zabid Abdul Rashid, Vice Chancellor and President Universiti Tun Abdul Razak (Malaysia)

Mexico

Grand Officier
  • Lic. Víctor Manuel Villaseñor (1970), Mexican politician and industrialist. He manufactured Renault automobiles in Mexico from 1960 to 1970.[49][50]

Officier

  • Mr. Ángel Barraza y del Toro (1975) Commercial attaché to the Mexican embassy in France from 1974 to 1975.[51]

New Zealand

Officier
  • Professor Keith Val Sinclair, New Zealand born academic and Professor of French at the James Cook University of North Queensland.
Chevalier
  • Mr Reece Discombe (1966), New Zealand engineer and diver for re-locating Comte de la Perouse's two lost vessels in 1962. He was awarded by President Charles de Gaulle in 1966.[52][53]
  • Mr Dermot Neill (1979).[52]
  • Mr Robert Kingscote (1982).[52]
  • Mr Lloyd Upton (1997).[52]
  • Ms Beverley Randell Price (2005), in recognition of her role in the development of relations and friendship between New Zealand and France by offering Randell Cottage as a writer's residence.[54]
  • Professor Emerita Jocelyn Harris (2006), French Honorary Consul to Dunedin.[55]
  • Ms Martine Marshall-Durieux (2008), High School French teacher and President of the Alliances Francaises of Christchurch.[56]
  • Ms Frances James (2010), French teacher and journalist in recognition of work to present a positive image of France and awaken people's interest and love for that country.[57]
  • Ms Judith Trotter CMNZ (2010), New Zealand's Ambassador to France from 1987 to 1992, and chair of the France-New Zealand Friendship Fund from 2002 to 2008.[58]
  • Ms Marie Brown (2010), teacher of French and French literature from 1977 and especially president of the Alliances Francaises of Wellington from 2002 to 2004.[59]
  • Mrs Stephanie Richards (2011), for contributions to the strengthening of ties between France and New Zealand, especially during her time as the head of Thales NZ.[60]

Netherlands

Niger

North Macedonia

Commander

Norway

Pakistan

  • Riaz Piracha, foreign secretary
  • Major General Rehmat Khan
  • Commodore Suhail Hameed SI(M)
  • Lt. Col. Omar Jalal Qureshi (Deflog Pvt Ltd.)
  • Shabir Ahmed, CEO of DL Nash (Pvt) Ltd
  • Marvi Memon, politician
  • Dr. Asad Asghar Ali, Regional Director GEC Alstom, Pakistan.

Palestine

Knight
  • Dr. Amal Daraghmeh Masri, businesswoman, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Middle East Business magazine and news, founding member of 'Palestine Accueil', President of Palestine-France Business Council. Awarded Feb 2017.[63]

Paraguay

Officer

Concepción Leyes de Chaves

Portugal

Chevalier
  • Rogerio Walter Carreira, Directeur ALSTOM au Mozambique
  • António Rendas, medical researcher and academic

Romania

Chevalier
Commander

Samoa

Officier
  • Vaimasenu'u Zita Sefo-Martel Honorary Consul of France, Business and Sports Woman
  • Norman Paul Former Honorary Consul of France and Businessman

Saudi Arabia

Grand Officier

Senegal

Serbia

Grand Officer

  • Radomir Diklić, Diplomat.[66]

Commander

  • Pavle Janković, Diplomat.

Officer

  • Ivan Vejvoda, Social scientist.
  • Colonel Slavoljub Dabić, Former military attache in Paris.

Knight

  • Predrag Marić, Civil servant.
  • Colonel Vojislav Krstović, Military officer.
  • Nataša Vučković, Parliamentarian.
  • Dubravka Stojanović, Historian.
  • Saša Janković, National Ombudsman
  • Tanja Miščević, Head of the Negotianting Team for the Accession of Serbia to the European Union.
  • Colonel Zoran Rašeta, Former military attache in Paris.[67]
  • Stanislav Sretenović, Historian.[68]
  • Gordana Janićijević, Deputy Public Prosecutor of Serbia.[69]
  • Nataša Kovačević-Stojaković, former basketball player
  • Mirolslava Maksimović, Former employee of French Embassy in Serbia.[70]
  • Vukosava Crnjanski, Founder and Director of CRTA.[71]

Singapore

Officer

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

  • Yvette Jaggi, member of the National Council, the Council of States, and Mayor of Lausanne

Taiwan

Thailand

Tunisia

Chevalier / Knight

  • Saïd Bouziri (1947–2009), human rights and immigrant rights activist whose activism helped shape French immigration policy in the late 20th century[74]

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

  • Jamal Sanad Al-Suwaidi, Director-general of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research.

[77]Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar.

United Kingdom

  • Andrew P. Hibbert Lawyer.[78]
  • John Barbirolli Conductor and cellist.
  • John McManners Clergyman and historian of religion.
  • Sir John Chalstrey Surgeon and former Lord Mayor of London
  • Capt. John Colin Rye, R.A. M.D. of Compagnie Française de l'Afrique Occidentale, U.K. Branch.
  • Ann Kenrick Secretary-General, Franco-British Council
  • Ian Reed, Director, Allied Air Forces Memorial, Elvington, York.
  • Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (later Queen Camilla)
  • John Rees, Welsh Development Agency
  • Martin John McCarthy, Former Director General of Total S.A.
  • Catherine, Princess of Wales

United States

Uruguay

Yugoslavia

Vietnam

Officier

  • Trần Thanh Vân (2002) – Particle physicist and founder of "Rencontres du Vietnam."
  • Lê Kim Ngọc (2002) – Biologist and plant physiologist.
  • Nguyễn Thị Bích Huệ (2021) – Former Ambassador of Vietnam to Italy and Minister Counselor in France.
  • Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Dung (2021) – Former Rector of Pham Ngoc Thach University of Medicine and President of the Vietnam-France Friendship Association.

Chevalier/Knight

  • Phan Huy Lê (2002) – Historian and former President of the Vietnam Association of History Science.
  • Nguyễn Vũ Quốc Huy (2024) – Rector of Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy.
  • Phạm Tuấn Long (2024) – Chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee.
  • Bùi Thành Nhơn (2021) – Chairman of NovaGroup.
  • Nguyễn Thành Nam (2022) – Digital education pioneer and co-founder of FPT Group.
  • Lương Ngọc Khuê (2022) – Director of the Department of Medical Examination and Treatment (Ministry of Health).
  • Nguyễn Quang Thuấn (2017) – Former President of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS).
  • Trần Văn Nam (2017) – Former Rector of the University of Da Nang.
  • Nguyễn Hồng Sơn (2024) – Director of the Vietnam Academy of Agricultural Sciences (VAAS).
  • Hom Nguyen (2021) – French-Vietnamese contemporary artist.

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