French President Awards Order of the Legion of Honour to Two Ukrainians on Bastille Day
French President Emmanuel Macron has awarded the Order of the Legion of Honour, the country's highest national honour, to Ukrainian writer Oksana Zabuzhko and Ukrainian Armed Forces officer and filmmaker Oleh Sentsov on Bastille Day - France's National Day, which commemorates the Storming of the Bastille on July 14.
The French Embassy in Ukraine reported that on Friday, French Ambassador Etienne de Poncins, on behalf of President Emmanuel Macron, will present the honours to Zabuzhko and Sentsov in the garden of Saint Sophia.
In his video message, the ambassador greeted in Ukrainian and addressed all the patriots and friends of Ukraine. He noted that for the second consecutive year, Ukrainians have shown bravery and determination in resisting Russian military occupiers, and their heroism has captivated the world.
"It is an honour for me to present the insignias of the National Order of the Legion of Honour to Oksana Zabuzhko and Oleh Sentsov, two outstanding figures of Ukraine in times of war. Their names are well known in France and Europe. Both of them are fighting for the freedom and independence of Ukraine: Madame Zabuzhko on the literary front, and Mr. Oleh Sentsov on the battlefield. I want to extend my sincerest and warmest congratulations to both of them," said the French ambassador.
The Order of the Legion of Honour is considered the highest national honour in France and is awarded for military and civilian merits.
Today, on July 14, France celebrates Bastille Day - its annual national holiday. In France, it is known as La Fête Nationale (National Holiday) and also le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July). This day commemorates the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. The anniversary of the storming of the Bastille is a symbol of national unity and reconciliation of all French citizens within the constitutional monarchy that preceded the First Republic during the French Revolution.
Celebrations and official ceremonies take place throughout France. The oldest and largest parade in Europe is held on the morning of July 14 on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, in the presence of the President of the Republic, high-ranking officials, and international delegations.