The philosopher Edgar Morin, the skipper Jean Le Cam, the prefect Didier Lallement or the choreographer Carolyn Carlson are part of the promotion of July 14 of the Legion of Honor which was published this Wednesday in the Official Journal.
This promotion distinguished 467 people, on an equal basis: 393 knights, 53 officers, 17 commanders, two grand officers and two grand crosses, including Edgar Morin, who celebrated his 100th birthday on July 8.
He was elevated to the dignity of Grand Cross, the highest distinction of the Legion of Honor, like Alain Mérieux, founder of the institute of the same name (industrial biology).
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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 health professionals, Marcel Lascar, founder of SOS Médecins,also received the knight's decoration.
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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.
Today it has 92,000 members, rewarded for their eminent merits in the service of the nation.