Decree 236/1996, of October 22, regulating the award of distinctions and honours by the Basque Government.
The Basque tradition of equality, allied to the desire to distinguish people who achieve great things in their professional careers or in their lives in general, served as inspiration for the Distinctions and Honours included here, which are themselves designed to encourage a sense in society of virtues such as perseverance, drive, hard work, social solidarity and the recognition of merit.
The Cross of the Tree of Gernika
Lan Onari Award
Lagun Onari Award
A Welsh honours system should be created to mark the achievements of community leaders and people involved in the arts and business, a national way of honouring people who make a contribution, an enormous contribution, to Welsh life.
Annette Strauch wrote...
The silent heros are important! I do not believe in honours really. That is a / my personal opinion, of course.
Many people get honoured in Wales in the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol. This is excellent!
However, more concentration in Wales should be geared towards the ordinary Welsh people in my point of view, to Mr. Jones around the corner. Some people might just work for Wales or for something to get an honour and that is wrong.
Years ago, I was secreatary of Y Cymdeithas in Capel y Crwys (a member for four years or so there), Richmond Road, Cardiff. The people there are very friendly in general and some had an OBE there. Many there made big contributions to Welsh Life - yet I felt there was some snobbery and competition, also hierarchies. Once I did something and an older woman who was the President of Y Cymdeithas rang me how I could have published something in the newsletter without asking her first: BECAUSE "I am the President!", she said.
I know a couple in Aberystwyth who do a lot of voluntary work without mentioning even it. They help with work for the Yr Angor magazine, the blind people in Wales, are members in Welsh societies, visit the very old people and go to the hospitals. The man has translated a novel from Spanish into Welsh. I must name them because they helped me when I was very ill: Alun Jones and Mrs. Cecilia Jones, Bro Dawel. So if anything comes out of your proposal, do not forget these two!
Photographer Rhodri Jones I would put on your list. He does most of the work himself (art world) and it is good photographic work with images from Wales. Ambassadors of Wales......!
I would also include nurses who work very hard in Wales and people like that. In the National Library in Aberystwyth I met some friendly and hard-working people but also many people working there talking, wasting time and money. They are on high wages but in their working time play around with the internet & Flickr, Facebook. Some publish books they write in their working time. This should not be honoured. If you say anything it is kept quiet.
Posted by: Annette Strauch | August 28, 2007 11:06 AM