Updated: 25 April, 2009

Cuba

• Ribbons of Cuba [1] — [2]  [3] (Antonio Prieto)

• Medal of Friendship for two Nkosazana C. Dlamini Zuma, the South African minister of foreign relations, has received in Havana the Medal of Friendship for his “innumerable acts of solidarity towards Cuba.” A decoration was also awarded to Ronnie Kasrils, minister of hydraulic and forestry resources of that African nation, coinciding with the 91st anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress (ANC). (Jan 03)

• Castro honours Elian’s father with the Carlo Manual de Cespedes Medal

• Cuba honors men convicted of U.S. spying Heroes of the Republic of Cuba Dec 01  

• Cuban activist admits receiving medal, says it won't hurt his work A veteran dissident admitted Tuesday he received the Interior Ministry's Distinguished Service Medal.from Cuba's state security officials but said the videotaped ceremony was a setup and should not harm his work with international rights groups. SFGate.com 16 Sep 03

• Cuban ambassador honoured Viet Nam's Foreign Ministry on Monday conferred a Friendship Medal on Cuban Ambassador Fredesman Turro Gonzalez in recognition of his contributions to promoting the relationship between Viet Nam and Cuba. Gonzalez was one of the first Cuban students to receive training in Viet Nam during the fierce anti-US war. vnagency 1 Mar 04

• Cuba honours Gordimer for defence work Cuba has awarded one of its most prestigious medals to celebrated South African writer and Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer. The award-winning novelist was presented with the Medal of Friendship in Pretoria on Monday at an official ceremony officiated by Ricardo Alarcon, Speaker of the Cuban National Assembly. Gordimer was honoured alongside Dr Carmen Baez, deputy secretary-general of the Friendship Association with Cuba in South Africa. iol.co.za 28 Apr 04

• Cuba Honours Elijah Mudenda Cuba-Zambia Friendship Association patron Elijah Mudenda has been conferred the medal of friendship by Cuba through the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples. allafrica.com 24 Jan 05

• Cuba presents medals to Vietnam Fatherland Front leaders The Standing Board of the Cuban Committee for Defence of the Revolution (CDR) has conferred "September 28" medals on leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) on the occasion of its founding anniversary (September 28) in recognition of their contributions to developing friendship and solidarity between the two nations, especially the two mass organisations. The medals were presented to Huynh Dam, VFF General Secretary; Le Truyen, VFF Vice President; and Ha Thi Lien, member of the VFF Standing Committee, at a ceremony held in Havana on October 6. nhandan.com.vn 7 Oct 05

• Cuban Meteorology Institute Medals Awarded Cuban President Fidel Castro was one of those awarded a medal celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Cuban Meteorology Institute. The distinction was also granted to personalities and institutions such as the World Meteorology Organization. The ceremony, which was presided over by the acting Science, Environment and Technology Minister, Fernando Gonzalez, also granted post mortem distinctions to several outstanding Cuban scientists and prominent figures. Meanwhile the Cuban Institute of Meteorologist was conferred with the Carlos J. Finlay award, the highest distinction granted by the Cuban Council of State in the field of science. ain.cubaweb.cu 6 Dec 05

• Cuba Bestow Friendship Medal on Brazilian Ambassador Cuban Foreign Minister, Felipe Perez Roque, gave Brazilian ambassador to the island, Tilden Jose Santiago, the friendship medal. Link does not work. ain.cubaweb.cu Jan 07
• President Fidel Castro Awarded Amilcar Cabral Medal The highest distinction of the government of Guinea Bissau, the Amilcar Cabral medal, was received by Esteban Lazo as representative of the Cuban president. It was delivered by the prime minister of Guinea Bissau, Mr. Aristides Gomes. The medal granted to Fidel is the highest distinction given to outstanding personalities who have contributed to the establishment and strengthening of Guinea Bissau. Lazo noted that this medal also pays homage to all Cubans who died in Guinea Bissau while fulfilling their internationalist duty. He noted that there are others who continue to render their services to that nation and region inspired by the lessons of the Commander in Chief, an advocate of “sharing what we have, not merely giving away what we don’t need.” periodico26.cu Jan 07
• Zapata Medal Awarded to Fidel Castro The General Emiliano Zapata medal was awarded to Cuban President Fidel Castro. The medal was established by the Emiliano Zapata Studies and Research Foundation in 2003 to award to those who have spent a lifetime dedicated to freedom, social justice and the self-determination of the peoples.  Margarita Zapata, granddaughter of the revolutionary farm leader, noted this was the first time the medal was awarded to an international figure, and told Prensa Latina, "Fidel Castro meets and goes beyond those requirements, he is an example of dignity." Gustavo Carvajal, board member of the foundation, expressed that the decoration only represents a modest tribute to a man of the stature of Fidel Castro. plenglish.com 13 Apr 07

• Burkina-Cuba : Salif Nébié décoré de la Médaille de l'Amitié Salif Nébié, Burkina Faso Embassador to Cuba what been awarded the Cuban Medal of Friendship for his work in Cuban-Burkina Faso relations. Article in French. lefaso.net 26 Jul 07

• Belgian Friend of Cuba Receives Medal of Friendship The Medal of Friendship, granted by the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba, was conferred on Tuesday to Belgian Katrien Demuynck. Elio Gómez, vice president of the organization, praised the solidarity and the work of the Belgian friend of Cuba to spread the truth about the island's reality and against the US financial, commercial and economic blockade against the Cuban people. He also commended her work in favor of the release of Antonio Guerrero, Fernando González, Gerardo Hernández, Ramón Labañino and René González, the five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters who unjustly remain in US prisons.After recalling that Demuynck also received the Félix Elmuza distinction, granted by the Cuban Union of Journalists, Gómez said that she has been a faithful and courageous friend, who has spared no effort in her fight for the Cuban cause. Katrien Demuynck founded the Belgian solidarity group Socialist Cuba Initiative in 1997 and is the current president of the group. cubannews. ain.cu 1 Aug 07

• Cuban Ambassador in Moscow Receives Pushkin Medal The Cuban ambassador to Russia, Jorge Marti, praised the role of Moscow in the solution of problems in the contemporary world during the presentation on Tuesday of the Latin American personalities who were granted the Pushkin Medal in the Russian capital. The Pushkin Medal is being granted on a presidential decree on the occasion of the Year of Russian Language. It reflects the recognition of the Russian nation to foreigners who have promoted cultural relations through the use of this language. Diplomats and personalities from Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama and Peru were also granted the medal along with 30 other personalities from all over the world. cubanews.ain.cu 21 Dec 07
• The Pushkin Medal was awarded to two Cuban personalities The Pushkin Medal was awarded to two Cuban personalities in an event in the Russian Embassy in Havana. They were the famous writer doctor Julio Travieso Serrano, the author of the much awarded book El Polvo y el Oro (Dirt and Gold), among others and doctor Teresita Urra, famous specialist in Russian language. cubaheadlines.com 29 Jan 08

• Alicia Alonso to Receive Medal of Merit in Spain The Director and founder of the Cuban National Ballet, Prima Ballerina Assoluta Alicia Alonso, will receive the Gold Medal of Merit in the category of Fine Arts granted by the Spanish Government. Other personalities who will receive the award on this occasion are Cecilia Bartoli, Daniel Baremboim, Antonio Banderas, Marisa Paredes, María Pires, Manuel de Oliveira and Roberto Veriño, among others. cubanews.ain.cu 14 Oct 08

• Un écrivain angolais reçoit la médaille `José Maria Heredia´ The “José Maria Heredia Medal” has been awarded to Angolan writer António Gonçalves. The medal is awarded to both Cubans and foreigners for advancing Cuban culture. Article in French. angolapress-angop.ao 17 Apr 08
• Cuba bestows medal on VP Cuban Deputy Minister of International Cooperation, Mr Ramon Ripoll has bestowed a Medal of Friendship on Botswana Vice President Lt Gen. Mompati Merafhe. Mr Ripoll said the medal was from the Cuban President, Mr Raul Castro and was in honour of General Merafhe, who is former minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. palapye.wordpress.com 16 Oct 08
• Fidel and Raul Castro Receive Decorations from Russian Church The Russian Orthodox Church granted its highest decoration, the Order of Glory and Honor, to the leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz. The decoration was presented to Cuban President Raul Castro by Metropolitan Kiril, a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church and head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, during a ceremony at the venue of the Cuban Council of State on Sunday night. At the same time, His Eminence Kiril presented Raul with the Order Prince Daniel of Good Faith in its First Degree. cubanews.ain.cu 23 Oct 08
• Dominica bestows medal of honor on the Commander in Chief Before a crowd of more than 5,000 people commemorating the 30th anniversary of the independence of Dominica, which it won on November 3, 1978, President Nicholas J.O. Liverpool bestowed the Medal of Honor of Dominica on Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz. It is the highest honor awarded to individuals who have provided meritorious services to that sister nation, and was received by Esteban Lazo Hernández, vice president of the Council of State, who traveled there in representation of the leader of the Cuban Revolution. Lazo explained that Fidel’s modesty would not allow him to receive such a high honor as an individual, which is why he was accepting it as recognition of our noble and valiant people, the central protagonists of more than 140 years of struggle. He noted that the medal represented the thousands of Cuban cooperation workers who have provided and are providing their services and solidarity via countless cooperation programs in many nations of the world, which to a great extent include those of the Caribbean, and particularly, the people of Dominica. granma.cu 4 Nov 08
• Medal for Panamanian's President - President Martin Torrijos received the Jose Marti Medal during a ceremony at the Palace of the Revolution in Havana, January 5, 2009. news.yahoo.com 5 Jan 09
• Medal for Fidel Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro has been given the Omar Torrijos Medal by Panama's President Martin Torrijos. new.yahoo.com 5 Jan 09
• Une medaille de trop pour Fidel Castro The president of Guatemala has decorated Fidel Castro with the Order of Quetzal while on a visit to Cuba. Article in French. courierinternational.com 18 Feb 09
• 'Cuban Five' receive Brazilian Human Rights Medal A Brazilian human rights group says it has awarded a medal to five Cubans imprisoned in the U.S. on espionage charges. Torture Never Again says it awarded its Chico Mendes Medal to the so-called "Cuban Five" last week because their human rights have been violated. Group president Cecilia Coimbra said Tuesday that the five Cubans have not been tortured but "their mail is censored and their visiting rights are very restricted." The jailed Cubans were convicted in 2001 on espionage charges. They are lionized in Cuba as heroes. Torture Never Again is a nationwide group dedicated to denouncing and documenting abuses committed by the military regime that ruled Brazil between 1964 and 1985. google.com 8 Apr 09

• Orders, Decorations, and Medals of Cuba Antiques A to Z