Awards

On March 24, 2023, Vanessa Handal Ghenania, Founder and President of VHG Group Early Childhood Language Schools, was awarded the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes académiques by Fabrice Jaumont, Education Attaché of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S., at Villa Albertine’s headquarters in New York.  

  On March 24, 2023, Vanessa Handal Ghenania, Founder and President of VHG Group Early Childhood Language Schools, was awarded the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes académiques by Fabrice Jaumont, Education Attaché of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S., at Villa Albertine’s headquarters in New York.  

On January 9, 2023, Shanny Peer, Director of La Maison Française at Columbia University, was awarded the insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur by Jérémie Robert, the Consul General of France in New York, at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On April 27, 2023, Elizabeth Diller, a founding partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Rajendra Roy, Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film at The Museum of Modern Art, were each awarded with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Gaëtan Bruel, Cultural Counselor of France to the United States and Director of Villa Albertine, at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.      

On April 27, 2023, Elizabeth Diller, a founding partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Rajendra Roy, Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film at The Museum of Modern Art, were each awarded with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Gaëtan Bruel, Cultural Counselor of France to the United States and Director of Villa Albertine, at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.      

On April 27, 2023, Elizabeth Diller, a founding partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Rajendra Roy, Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film at The Museum of Modern Art, were each awarded with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Gaëtan Bruel, Cultural Counselor of France to the United States and Director of Villa Albertine, at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.      

On April 27, 2023, Elizabeth Diller, a founding partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Rajendra Roy, Celeste Bartos Chief Curator of Film at The Museum of Modern Art, were each awarded with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Gaëtan Bruel, Cultural Counselor of France to the United States and Director of Villa Albertine, at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.      

On March 28, 2023, Séverine Autesserre, Professor and Chair of Political Science at Barnard College, Columbia University, and Maurice Samuels, the Betty Jane Anlyan Professor of French at Yale University, were each awarded the insignia of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes académiques by Judith Roze, Deputy Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy in the U.S. and Deputy Director of Villa Albertine, at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.   

On May 18, 2023, Agnes Gund, philanthropist and partron of the arts, was awarded with the insignia of Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur by Laurence des Cars, President-Director of the Musée du Louvre, at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.    Gaëtan Bruel, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, began the ceremony with words of introduction:  Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, 

On December 14, 2022, Denise Murrell, Associate Curator of 19th- and 20th-Century Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art was awarded with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.    Deputy Cultural Counselor Judith Roze began by thanking Denise Murrell for her exceptional contribution to French arts and culture:  Ladies and gentlemen,   Dear Darren,   Dear Denise, 

On May 24, 2022, Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, was honored with the insignia of Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Laurence des Cars, President and Director of the Louvre Museum. They were welcomed by Ambassador Etienne at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On September 13, 2021, Bérangère Travard, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of France in Chicago, awarded Mimi Plauché, artistic director of the Chicago International Film Festival, with the insignia of Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres in a ceremoney held at during the festival’s annual fundraising gala.

On August 16, 2021, Guillaume Lacroix, French Consul General to the Midwest awarded Cheryl Toman the title of Officier dans l'Ordre des Palmes Academiques at the Consulate General of France in Chicago.  

On July 14, 2021, Guillaume Lacroix, Consul General at the Consulate General of France in Chicago, awarded Susan O'Brian Lyons with the insignia of Knight of the Orders of Arts and Letters in a ceremoney held at the Arts Club of Chicago in recognition of her tremendous philanthropy work toward  in Franco-American relations and as a founding member of the franco-american foundation FACE in Chicago, which supports franco-americain relations across cultural projects in Chicago and across the Midwest. 

On June 28, 2021, Philippe Etienne, Ambassador of France to the United States, awarded Perri Irmer the insignia of Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in a ceremony held at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago.

On March 2nd, 2020, Philippe Etienne, Ambassador of France to the United States, awarded Elizabeth Mugar Eveillard the insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in a ceremony held at the Frick Collection, in New York.   Ladies and gentlemen, Dear Elizabeth Eveillard,

On February 20, 2020, Guillaume Lacroix, Consul General at the Consulate General of France in Chicago, awarded Lynne D. Ambrosini, Deputy Director and the Sallie Robinson Wadsworth Chief Curator, with the insignia of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Taft Museum of Art (OH) for her many years of contributions to French & Franco-American Exhibitions, Acquisitions & Events.

On February 7, 2020, Guillaume Lacroix, Consul General at the Consulate General of France in Chicago, awarded , Kelley Conway, Professor of Film and Chair of the Department of Communication Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with the insignia of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the UW Cinematheque in Madison in recognition of her tremendous contributions to the field of French cinema, and the impact of these contributions on both sides of the Atlantic.

On February 1, 2020, Guillaume Lacroix, Consul General at the Consulate General of France in Chicago, awarded Alan Philips Darr,  Senior Curator of European Paintings, Sculpture and Decorative Arts, with the insignia of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Detroit Institute of Art for his many years of contributions to French & Franco-American Cultural Programs, Exhibitions, Acquisitions & Events.

On February 12, 2020, Gaëtan Bruel, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Kehinde Wiley with the insignia of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Brooklyn Museum, in New York. Ladies and gentlemen, Dear Kehinde Wiley, In the 19th century, to honor someone, you painted their portrait. In 2020, we give them a medal! – It’s less bulky! So, for a few minutes, I'm going to be David, and you Napoleon... Or, if you prefer, we can say that you are William, and I am Kehinde...

On Monday, September 16, 2019, Philippe Etienne, Ambassador of France in the United States, presented Bénédicte de Montlaur with the insignia of Chevalier in the National Order of Merit during a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City. The Ambassador's remarks are below. 

On June 20, 2019, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Joe Melillo with the insignia of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, in New York. Good evening, I am Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, and it is my great pleasure to honor Joe Melillo with the insignia of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, the highest of the ranks of this distinction.

On May 13, 2019, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Clémence Boulouque, Catherine Cusset, and Rick MacArthur with the insignia of Officier of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.  Good evening, I am Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, and it is my great pleasure to welcome you all tonight as we honor Clémence Boulouque, Catherine Cusset, and Rick MacArthur with the insignia of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

On April 26, 2019, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Emmanuelle Ertel and Rick Moody with the insignia of Officier of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.  Good evening, I am Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, and it is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the beautiful Payne Whitney Mansion here in New York to honor two friends of the Cultural Services, Emmanuelle Ertel and Rick Moody. 

On Monday, December 17, 2018, Gérard Araud, Ambassador of France to the United States, presented Jeanine Parisier Plottel with the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor during a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On December 5, 2018, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Anne Kern and Jake Perlin with the insignia of Chevalier of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.

On December 3, 2018, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Odile de Schietere-Lonchampt with the insignia of Officier of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Good evening ladies and gentlemen, I am Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy in the United States. It is my great pleasure tonight to present our dear friend and benefactor Odile de Schietere-Longchampt with the insignia of Officier des Arts et des Lettres.

On Monday, November 5, 2018, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of France to the United States, presented Susannah Hunnewell with the insignia of Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters during a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On May 23, 2018, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Charlotte Vignon with the insignia of the Chevalier of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Frick Collection.

On May 22, 2018, French Ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud, awarded Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner with the insignia of the Legion of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.  Good afternoon! It is a privilege for me to welcome you here to the Cultural Services of the French Embassy to confer the Legion of Honor upon Thea Westreich Wagner and Ethan Wagner, two internationally renowned art collectors, advisors and advocates.

On May 7, 2018, Dennis Lim, film critic and Director of Programming for the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and John Waters, artist and filmmaker, were honored with the insignia of the Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur gave the following speech at the event.

On April 27, 2018, Laetitia Atlani-Duault, Kathleen Stein-Smith and Andrew Clark were honored with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Academic Palms in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur gave the following speech at the event. 

On April 17, 2018, Peter Marino was honored with the insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters for his work in art and architecture in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On March 13th, 2018, Joan Wallach Scott, Professor Emerita at the Institute of Advanced Study, was honored with the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. On this occasion, the following speech was delivered by Françoise Gaspard, historian, politician, and international advocate for women's rights. An English translation is available below the French original. 

On March 5, 2018, Caroline Baumann, Brett Littman, and Andres Serrano were honored with the insignia of the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. 

On Tuesday, February 27, 2018, Claire Lesteven-Williams was named Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Ambassador François Delattre, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, bestowed the insignia upon Lesteven-Williams for her exceptional career as an artist and a photographer, and for her service to the New York francophone community. 

On Friday, February 9, 2018, Brigitte de Wever, Polly Rimer Duke, and Jonathan M. Shee were honored with the insignia of the Chevalier of the Order of Academic Palms in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On Thursday, December 7, 2017, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak was named Chevalier of the Order of the Arts and Letters in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur bestowed the insignia upon Spivak for her extensive career as a scholar and teacher dedicated to expanding global dialogue. 

On Monday, December 4, 2017, Columbia University professors Emmanuelle Saada and Souleymane Bachir Diagne were honored with the insignia of the Order of Arts and Letters at a ceremony hosted at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montclaur named Saada and Diagne Chevalier of the Order of the Arts and Letters for their contributions to their scholarly fields and their dedication to expanding francophone education.  

On Tuesday, October 17, 2017, CUNY professor Mary Ann Caws and Princeton professor Florent Masse were honored with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters at a ceremony hosted at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montclaur bestowed the insignia upon Caws and Masse for their dedication to the cultural expansion of France in the United States. 

On Tuesday, October 10, 2017, artist Laurie Anderson and author Jay McInerney were awarded the insignia of Officer of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres at a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur, who presided at the ceremony, highlighted Ms. Anderson and Mr. McInerney's contributions to art, literature and culture in the United States, France, and around the world.  Photo credit: Gonzalo Marroquin for Patrick McMullan

On Tuesday, October 3, 2017, Claude Wasserstein was awarded the insignia Chevalier of the Legion of Honor at a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Ambassador Gérard Araud, who presided at the ceremony, highlighted Ms. Wasserstein’s notable philanthropic contributions in both the United States and France. Ms. Wasserstein, who formerly worked as a journalist and a CBS news producer, sits on various charitable boards and has spearheaded many of her own initiatives aimed at enhancing various communities.

On Tuesday, June 27, 2017, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Liesl Schillinger with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. Liesl Schillinger is an accomplished literary critic, journalist, and translator who has greatly contributed to the growth of French culture in the United States.

On Thursday, June 15, 2017, Bénédicte de Montlaur, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, awarded Dave Kehr with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. Dave Kehr is a brilliant film critic and journalist with a passion for French cinema. Throughout his career, he has significantly contributed to the growth of French culture in the United States.

On Thursday, January 15th, translator Lydia Davis and film critic Kent Jones were respectively awarded Officier and Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry.

Francine LeFrak received the insignia of the Legion of Honor on November 26 at a ceremony held at the French Consulate. Ambassador François Delattre who presided at the ceremony, emphasized not only Ms. LeFrak’s distinguished work as an advocate for humanitarian causes but also her generosity toward French and American cultural endeavors. 

Hollywood and France came together in one big celebration last October 31st ceremony honoring screenwriter and WGAW Vice President Howard A. Rodman with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. 

There’s a revolution brewing and the French are in the leading ranks of the rebels!  On Tuesday evening, Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry bestowed the insignia of the Palmes Académiques on our own Fabrice Jaumont, who, as Education Attaché of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, has helped lead the vanguard of the bilingual revolution in American classrooms.  

On Monday, December, 10th, Tom Bishop received the insignia of Commander Arts et Lettres at the Maison française of New York University. Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counsellor of the French Embassy in the United States, presided over the ceremony and delivered the following speech.

On Friday, September 21st, Elliott Carter received the insignia of Commander of the Legion of Honor at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. The Ambassador of France, François Delattre, presided over the ceremony and delivered the following speech.

On June 12th, Antony Baudry, Cultural Counsellor of the French Embassy decorated Francesca Canadé Sautman, Anne-Sophie Guéguen, Florence Mauchant, and Catherine Poisson for their action towards bilingual education and the promotion of French culture. They were awarded of the Insignia of officer of the Order of Academic Palms during a ceremony held at the Cultural Services. Ladies and Gentlemen, Mesdames, Messieurs, Good Evening ! Bonsoir ! Just two weeks ago, the Cannes Film Festival ended.

On Thursday evening July 11, Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry bestowed the insignia of the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on American comic book writer and artist Matt Madden, in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On May 10th, 2017, director, producer, and animator Mark Osborne was awarded with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts at a ceremony hosted by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur conferred the insignia to him in recognition of his achievements in film -- notably his animated adaptation of The Little Prince by French writer and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry –- and his work with the Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation dedicated to improving the everyday lives of disadvantaged youth according to author Saint-Exupéry's humanist legacy. 

On April 28, 2017, Detroit-bred techno music pioneer Jeff Mills was decorated as an Officer of France's Order of Arts and Letters by ex-minister of Culture Jack Lang, at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.

On Wednesday, April 12th, 2017, Lili Chopra and Sam Miller were honored with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters at a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur conferred the insignia to the two accomplished leaders of the art world. 

An especially joyous mood filled the reception hall where Tom Kaplan, Chairman of the 92Y, stood beside Ambassador François Delattre to receive the insignia of the Legion of Honor last March 5th, amidst family, friends, and colleagues.  A keen entrepreneur who is passionate about affairs ranging from endangered animals to international relations, Mr. Kaplan spoke profoundly about some of these issues, including his close ties to France.  

On January 23, Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, conferred the insignia of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters upon Gary Tinterow, as recognition for his contribution to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world.

On Tuesday, December 20th, 2016, Klaus Ottmann and Mark Polizzotti were honored with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters at a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montclaur conferred the insignia to the two accomplished leaders of the art world. 

On November 15th, 2016, executive music producer Daniel Glass and Grammy Award-winning musician and producer Nile Rodgers were conferred the insignia of the Order of Arts and Letters by Thomas Michelon, Deputy Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy. The award was presented with the following speech at a ceremony taking place at the Payne Whitney Mansion in New York, home to the Cultural Services of the French Embassy.

On Monday, June 27, 2016, Ambassador of France in the United States Gérard Araud awarded Steven Guttman the distinction of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. He honored him with the following speech, during a ceremony held at Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.

On June 21, 2016, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur honored Laurent Dubreuil and Laurent Ferri with French ministerial distinctions which were presented during a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On Tuesday, May 10, 2016, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur awarded three school principals the distinction of Chevalier in the French Order of Palmes Académiques: Anna Cano Amato, Principal of PS 110 The Monitor school; Heather Foster-Mann, Principal of PS 133 William A. Butler School; and Lena Johnson-Barbera, Principal of P.S. 20, The Clinton Hill School.

On April 19, 2016, André Vallini, Secrétaire d'Etat auprès du ministre des Affaires étrangères et du Développement international, chargé du Développement et de la Francophonie, presided over a ceremony in which Deborah Hay, Lewis Lapham, and Theodore Feder were each honored with an award for their contributions to French culture. 

On Wednesday, March 23, 2016, Deputy Cultural Counselor Thomas Michelon conferred the medal of the Chevaliers dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques on Cecile Acakpo-Satchivi, Edith Boncompain, Marie Bouteillon and Régine Latortue. The award was presented during a ceremony held at Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.

On Friday, February 26, 2016, Deputy Cultural Counselor Thomas Michelon named Patricia Mainardi, Patricia Conlon Moran, Françoise Noble, Sandra VanAusdal and Andrew Curran, Chevaliers dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques. The award was presented during a ceremony held at Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On Thursday, February 4, 2016, Deputy Cultural Counselor Thomas Michelon named French professor, writer, and President of the Société des Professeurs Français et Francophones d’Amérique, Dr. Anne Berthelot, Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académique. The award was presented during a ceremony held at Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York, during which eight awards were also presented to support dual language student teachers in obtaining Masters degrees in Bilingual Education.

On Monday, November 30, 2015, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur awarded renowned sculptor Carl Andre and esteemed gallerist Paula Cooper with the Order of Arts and Letters. The awards were presented during a ceremony held at Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York.

On Monday, November 23, 2015, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur honored dance and choreography authority Carla Peterson and writer/translator Charles Ruas with the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. The awards were presented during an intimate ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On Tuesday, November 17, 2015, Whitney Museum of American Art Director Adam D. Weinberg was presented with the Insignia of the Order of Chevalier of Arts and Letters. The award was presented during an intimate ceremony held at Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On Tuesday, November 10, 2015, Deputy Cultural Counselor Thomas Michelon presented the Insignia of the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters to June Hargrove and Alison Stones, historians of French art, and Jill Schoolman, founder of Archipelago Books publishing house. The honorees were awarded in an intimate ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On Thursday, November 5, 2015, Deputy Cultural Counselor Thomas Michelon decorated esteemed scholar Gilles Bransbourg with the Insignia of the Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes Academiques. The award was presented at an intimate ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On Monday, November 2, 2015, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur honored renowned artist Christo with the medal of the Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. The award was presented in an intimate ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On Thursday, October 22, 2015, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur honored distinguished philosopher Avital Ronell with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. The award was presented during a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On Friday, October 16, 2015, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur honored David Lang, the acclaimed composer, and Tim Griffin, Director and Chief Curator of The Kitchen, with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. The award was presented in an intimate ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On Monday, June 15, 2015, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur honored Manhattan Borough Parks Commissioner William Castro with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, in New York.

On Tuesday, June 9, 2015, Cultural Counselor Bénédicte de Montlaur honored Wes Anderson, the accomplished film director, with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. The award was presented in an intimate ceremony at Albertine Books, part of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On Monday, June 1, 2015, Gérard Araud, Ambassador of  France to the United States, honored artist Richard Serra with the insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur in a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On Saturday, May 17, 2015, Judy Hussie-Taylor, Executive Director of Danspace Project, was honored with the insignia of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy.

On Monday, May 11, 2015, Meredith Monk, composer, choreographer, singer and performer, and Aimée Brown Price, art historian and specialist on the French painter Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, were awarded the Order of Arts and Letters by the Deputy Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, Thomas Michelon, in a double decoration ceremony which took place at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

On Wednesday, April 15, 2015, Ambassador François Delattre honored Catherine Malandrino with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On Thursday, March 12, 2015, Thomas Michelon, Deputy Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, honored Charles S. Cohen with the insignia of Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City.

On Thursday, February 26, 2015 Ambassador François Delattre honored Virgil de Voldère, a proponent of French bilingual education, with the Order of Academic Palms.

On Tuesday, February 3, 2015, Mark Pigott, Executive Chairman of PACCAR, Inc., was honored with the insignia of the Order of Arts and Letters by Thomas Michelon, Deputy Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy. 

On Monday, December 15, 2014, Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy, conferred upon film critic Richard Brody the insignia chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters with the following speech.

On Friday, December 12th, 2014, Lorin Stein, the Editor of The Paris Review, was honored with the insignia of the Order of Arts and Letters by Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy.

On June 4th, Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry honored Florence Almozini with a vibrant speech before conferring on her the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. 

On April 4, 2014, the rank of officer of the Legion of Honor was conferred by Ambassador François Delattre on Dr. James E. Rothman, an exceptional scientist whose complex work focuses on the essential biochemical communication inside the body. 

On March 6, 2014, H. George Fletcher, a bibliophile who began collecting books at 15, was conferred the medal of chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry.  The convivial occasion was held among family, friends, and colleagues in the Grolier Club’s Rare Book Room which features a permanent display of historic book bindings, including a work by Jean Grolier. 

On October 25, 2013, François Delattre, Ambassador of France to the United States bestowed the insignia of the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur on Richard Sandor in a ceremony held in Chicago.

On Thursday evening July 11, 2013, Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry bestowed the insignia of the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on American comic book writer and artist Matt Madden, in a ceremony held at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. 

French and Francophile Stanford University Professors were decorated on June 28th, 2013, by the Consul General of France in San Fransciso. Marie-Pierre Ulloa received the insigna of Chevalier in the Order of Arts and Letters, and Aron Rodrigue was decorated with the insigna of Chevalier in the Order of the Palmes Académiques.

Four remarkable educators deeply passionate about international collaboration received the insignia of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques on June 18th in a ceremony held at Yale University that was co-hosted by French Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry and Ian Shapiro, director of Yale's MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies.  

Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry conferred the insignia of the Order of Arts and Letters on Ian Wardropper on June 10, 2013, at a reception co-hosted by the Board of Trustees of The Frick Collection where the event was held.  Director of the Frick Collection since 2011, Dr. Wardropper, previously held long-term key positions at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a specialist in European sculpture, earlier decorative arts, and twentieth-century design and decorative arts, Dr. Wardropper has advanced the history of art and unfailingly reinforced the cultural bond between France and the United States.  In his remarks upon receiving this award, Dr. Wardropper shared a poignant story of his first visit to France on his own as a student and a more recent impression of France while hot air ballooning in Normandy. 

Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry conferred the insignia of the Order of Arts and Letters on Ian Wardropper on June 10, 2013, at a reception co-hosted by the Board of Trustees of The Frick Collection where the event was held.  Director of the Frick Collection since 2011, Dr. Wardropper, previously held long-term key positions at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

On May 15, 2013, the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor was conferred on Writer and Professor Eugène Nicole by Michel Berty, a member of the Advisory Board, NYU Center for French Civilization & Culture. Nicole, who has published a cycle of six novels grounded in his native archipelago of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon and who is a distinguished professor of French literature, was warmly celebrated amidst family, friends, and colleagues gathered for the occasion at La Maison Française, NYU.

On May 15, 2013, the insignia of Chevalier of the Legion of Honor was conferred on Writer and Professor Eugène Nicole by Michel Berty, a member of the Advisory Board, NYU Center for French Civilization & Culture. Nicole, who has published  a cycle of six novels grounded in his native archipelago of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon and who is  a distinguished professor of French literature, was warmly celebrated amidst family, friends, and colleagues gathered for the occasion at La Maison Française, NYU. 

On April 23, 2013, Cultural Counselor Antonin Baudry bestowed the insignia of the Palmes Académiques on Fabrice Jaumont, who, as Education Attaché of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, has helped lead the vanguard of the bilingual revolution in American classrooms. 

On April 10, 2013, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy received the Renaissance Française-USA for the delivering of its awards. William C. Carter was honored with la Médaille d’Or du Mérite Francophone; Claude Lambert with La Médaille d’Or de Solidarité et Valeur, and Robert D. Peckham received La Médaille d’Or de la Renaissance française, its highest award. 

On March 11, 2013, Adam Gopnik received the insignia of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Lettres at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York. Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy in the United States, presided over the ceremony.