On the occasion of February 16, G. Nausėda awarded more than 80 Lithuanian and foreign citizens

According to the president, the awards are given to those who, through their work, contribute to Lithuania’s security, prosperity, well-being, and the development of peaceful and productive international relations.

“You are creating the unity we so need, the unity that so impressively transcends the borders of our country and unites Lithuania with like-minded people all over the world. May all of your works become an inspiring example and always testify to the victory of light over darkness”, said G. Nausėda at the award ceremony.

O. Zelenska was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great for her contribution together with the entire Ukrainian nation in the fight for freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state, and for her merits in developing interstate relations between Lithuania and Ukraine.

This is the third highest Lithuanian state award in terms of significance, it is awarded by presidential decree to citizens of Lithuania and foreign countries for special services to the state of Lithuania.

In total, on the occasion of February 16, President G. Nausėda awarded more than 80 persons with his decree. The awards were presented on Friday during a ceremony at the Presidency.

Opera soloist, professor Irena Milkevičiūtė was awarded the Commander’s Grand Cross of the Order of Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania for her exceptional pedagogical activities, the formation of a unique school of opera singing, and the training of outstanding artists.

German Foreign Minister A. Baerbock and Lithuanian Ambassador to Ukraine Valdemaras Sarapinas were awarded the Commander’s Grand Cross of the Order “For Services to Lithuania”.

Professor Valentinas Mikelėnas was awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of the Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania for special merits in creating the Lithuanian private law system.

The Director of the Department of International Affairs of the American Jewish Committee, Rabbi Andrew Baker, was awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order “For Merit to Lithuania”.

Two officers of the State Border Guard Service, Donatas Škarnulis and Vainius Žalpys, were awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of the Vytis Cross.

Cyclist, two-time Olympic champion Gintautas Umars, chairman of the Lithuanian Jewish community Faina Kukliansky, toxicologist Robert Badaras, writer, poet Juozas Erlickas, president of the Confederation of Lithuanian Industrialists Vidmantas Janulevičius also received state awards.

The list of awardees includes architectural historian Marija Drėmaitė, economist, sociologist Boguslavas Gruževskis, Paris City Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Lithuanian police chaplain Algirdas Toliatas, opera soloist Rafailas Karpis, who contributed to the finding of the remains of partisan Juoz Vitkaus-Kazimieraitis, the Lithuanian Genocide and Resistance Research Center Search and Identification head of department Rimantas Zagreckas and other persons.