Canada’s permanent representative to the United Nations receives Lithuanian Diplomacy Star
On March 10 in Ottawa, the Ambassador of Lithuania to Canada Darius Skusevičius conferred the Medal of Honour – Lithuanian Diplomacy Star – on The Honourable Robert Keith Rae, Canada’s current Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Ambassador Rae was awarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania for his merits in strengthening the bilateral ties between Lithuania and Canada. In February, 1990 B. Rae was in Lithuania as part of the delegation from Ontario parliament, which came to observe the first democratic elections held in Lithuania and was actively supporting the independence of Lithuania in Canadian press. After Lithuania has regained its independence as the Premier of Ontario, he sent experts to help with reform process of the Baltics states. In 2009, as the Member of Parliament B. Rae initiated the resolution by the Parliament declaring the infamous August 23rd as Black Ribbon Day, when Canadians remember the victims of Nazi and Soviet crimes. Canada was the first country outside Europe that attached such meaning to the date, when the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed in 1939.
“As we mark the 32nd anniversary of the restored independent state of Lithuania we remember the help and assistance by many Canadians in building the modern state of Lithuania. I am extremely happy, that today we are able to express our gratitude to The Honourable Robert Keith Rae, both for his past deeds and his current strong position in defending the democratic values at the United Nations”, - the Ambassador Skusevičius said when presenting the award.
The award presentation to The Honourable Robert Keith Rae took place during the National Day reception in Ottawa with the participation of The Honorable Robert Oliphant, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Members of Parliament, representatives of the diplomatic corps, Friends of Lithuania in Canada and Lithuanian community.
The Medal of Honour of Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs – the Lithuanian Diplomacy Star – was established in 2010. It is conferred on Lithuanian and foreign citizens and organizations for their outstanding merits in promoting Lithuania’s name, fostering and developing interstate relations.
