Ministry of State recipients of honorary distinctions; Credit: ME

In the run-up to Luxembourg's National Day (i.e. the Grand Duke's Official Birthday), celebrated annually on 23 June, various ministries have awarded their employees with honorary distinctions.

Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration & the Greater Region

On 17 June 2021, as part of the national holiday festivities, Luxembourg's Minister for Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region, Corinne Cahen, presented honorary medals to ministry employees, as well as those employed in the contracted sector, in recognition of their services rendered to the state.

This year, 46 employees received an honorary distinction in the form of the Order of the Oak Crown (Ordre de la Couronne de chêne) and fourteen employees received the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Ordre de Mérite du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg).

Ministry of the Interior 

That same day, Luxembourg's Minister of the Interior, Taina Bofferding, presented one locally elected official and one employee of the Ministry of the Interior with the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Ministry of State

On 18 June 2021, Luxembourg's Prime Minister and Minister of State Xavier Bettel presented honorary medals to employees of the Ministry of State, the Chamber of Deputies, the State Council, the Court of Auditors and the Department of Media, Telecommunications and Digital Policy, as well as religious figures and members of the Press Council, in recognition of their services rendered to the state.

34 employees received the Order of the Oak Crown and 24 employees received the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Ministry of the Civil Service

Last Friday also saw Luxembourg's Minister of the Civil Service, Marc Hansen, award honorary distinctions to 28 officials of the Ministry of the Civil Service and its attached entities during an official ceremony.

Eight collaborators obtained the rank of Knight of the Order of the Oak Crown. In addition, nine agents were distinguished as Knights of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, whilst eleven collaborators were decorated with a vermeil medal of the Order of the Oak Crown.

Ministry for Digitalisation

That same day, Marc Hansen, in his role as Minister Delegate for Digitalisation, presented honorary medals to three employees of the Government IT Centre (Centre des technologies de l'information de l'État - CTIE). One collaborator received the vermeil medal of the Order of the Oak Crown, while two others obtained the rank of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Ministry of Social Security

On 21 June 2021, Luxembourg's Minister of Social Security, Romain Schneider, presented honorary medals to employees of the Ministry of Social Security, the National Health Fund (Caisse Nationale de Santé - CNS) and the Joint Social Security Centre (Centre commun de la sécurité sociale - CCSS).

Seven employees received an honorary distinction in the form of the Order of the Oak Crown and four employees received the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Ministry of Culture

Monday also saw Luxembourg's Minister of Culture, Sam Tanson, present honorary medals to employees of the state's cultural institutes, public establishments under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture and members of the Union Saint-Pie X, as well as to those involved in cultural life in Luxembourg, in recognition of their services rendered to the state. The presentation took place at the Grande-Duchesse Joséphine Charlotte concert hall in Philharmonie Luxembourg under the CovidCheck regime.

37 people received an honorary distinction in the form of the Order of the Oak Crown and 43 people received the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

The Culture Minister will present honorary distinctions to members of the Union Grand-Duc Adolphe will take place during a separate ceremony.

Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development

On 22 June 2021, Luxembourg's Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development, Romain Schneider, awarded honorary medals to ministry employees and players in the agriculture, viticulture, horticulture and animal health sectors in recognition of their services to the state.

41 collaborators received an honorary distinction in the form of the Order of the Oak Crown, whilst five collaborators received the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

Ministry of Higher Education and Research 

Also on 22 June, Luxembourg's Minister of Higher Education and Research, Claude Meisch, awarded honorary distinctions in the form of the Order of the Oak Crown and in the Order of Merit of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Due to their commitment to higher education and public research in Luxembourg, Joëlle Fromes was promoted to Knight of the Order of the Oak Crown and Hubert Jacobs van Merlen obtained the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit.