Gérard Araud (right), French ambassador to the United States, embraces Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York. (Photo: Carnegie Corporation of New York)
NEW YORK, New York—Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, was awarded the medal of Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor at a ceremony at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in New York City on February 9. The French ambassador to the United States, Gérard Araud, presented the insignia to Gregorian in recognition of his three-decade effort to strengthen Franco-American relations, advance links between French and American institutions of higher education, and promote the study of French culture and language.
Napoleon Bonaparte established the Legion of Honor, considered France’s highest honor, in 1802 to reward extraordinary accomplishments and outstanding services rendered to France. In 1908 Andrew Carnegie, the founder of the Corporation and many other sister institutions, received the Commander of the Legion of Honor when he was president of the New York Peace Society. He was given the award for helping build the Peace Palace in The Hague and for being “a good citizen of all the world.â€
