After celebrating his 100th birthday on July 8, Edgar Morin will be able to celebrate the presentation of the highest distinction of the Legion of Honor. The philosopher is indeed elevated this Wednesday to the dignity of Grand Cross, just like Alain Mérieux, founder of the institute of industrial biology of the same name.
With them, the skipper Jean Le Cam, the prefect Didier Lallement and the choreographer Carolyn Carlson are part of the July 14 promotion of the Legion of Honor which has just been published in the Official Journal. This promotion distinguished 467 people, equally: 393 knights, 53 officers, 17 commanders, 2 grand officers and 2 grand crosses.
Jean-Pierre Pernaut and Harry Roselmack in the spotlight
The former director of the WTO, Pascal Lamy, honorary president of the Jacques Delors institute, has for his part been promoted to grand officer. The Paris police chief Didier Lallement becomes a commander, among the 30% of public sector actors (excluding health and education) promoted. In the cultural sector, the Franco-American choreographer Carolyn Carlson and the lawyer, writer and member of the French Academy, François Sureau received the same rank.
Actress Laetitia Casta and journalists Jean-Pierre Pernaut and Harry Roselmack, two figures from TF1, were named knights. The winner of the Vendée Globe 2020/2021, Yannick Bestaven, was appointed to the same rank, as well as the skipper Jean Le Cam. Among the health professionals, Marcel Lascar, founder of SOS Médecins, also received the knight’s decoration.
Some 92,000 members
The promotion of July 14 is one of the two annual civil promotions of the Legion of Honor, along with that of January 1. Founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Legion of Honor is the highest of French national distinctions. It now has 92,000 members, rewarded for their eminent merits in the service of the nation.