Arūnas Gelūnas, director general of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art, has been awarded the Knight’s Cross of France’s National Order of the Legion of Honour in recognition of his contribution to cultural cooperation between Lithuania and France, the museum said.
The decoration was presented by French Ambassador to Lithuania Lucie Stepanyan at the National Gallery of Art in Vilnius.
“This award from the French Republic is not only a personal recognition for me – I accept it as an acknowledgment of the work of our entire Lithuanian National Museum of Art community, the cultural partnership between Lithuania and France, and the belief that art is a universal language of diplomacy,” Gelūnas said.
He said the award also underscores the shared values that unite Lithuania and France, including respect for human dignity, freedom and culture.
During the Season of Lithuania in France, the National Gallery of Art organised four exhibitions in cooperation with French partners, becoming one of the flagship participants in the cultural program.
