On 6 January, the French President Emmanuel Macron awarded Georgia’s former President and current chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili the Order of the Legion of Honour, which is France's top award for serious military and civilian achievements.
The decree noted that Ivanishvili is the founder of the International Charitable Foundation and former Prime Minister of the Republic of Georgia. Based on the decree, this year the award was given to people who have made significant contributions to the fight against Covid-19. To note, Ivanishvili donated 100 million lari to the StopCov Fund, which was created on 23 March in Georgia to cope with Covid-19 related challenges.
The Legion of Honour award was established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte and it has been retained by all later French governments and régimes. The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand officier (Grand Officer), and Grand-croix (Grand Cross). Amongst the prominent figures which received this award were Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Honore de Balzac, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Joseph Brodsky, Charles de Gaulle and many others.
