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Order of Cultural Merit

The Order of Cultural Merit is a Brazilian honor established in 1991 and bestowed by the Ministry of Culture for contributions to culture.

The Order of Cultural Merit (or Ordem do Mérito Cultural in Portuguese) is a Brazilian honor established in 1991 and bestowed by the Ministry of Culture for contributions to Brazilian culture. The order can be given to national and foreign personalities and bodies, private and public.

The recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit are selected by a Council composed of the Minister of State for Culture (as Chancellor) and the Ministers of State for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, and Foreign Affairs. 

Since 1995, over 500 personalities have been honored in the three classes of the Order of Cultural Merit (60 institutions have also received the medal without grade classes).

Classes of the Order of Cultural Merit

The Order of Cultural Merit has three ranks of merit:

  • Order of Cultural Merit - Grand Cross (Brazil) - ribbon bar.png Grand Cross (Grã-Cruz)
  • Order of Cultural Merit - Commander (Brazil) - ribbon bar.png Commander (Comendador)
  • Order of Cultural Merit - Knight (Brazil) - ribbon bar.png Knight (Cavaleiro)

The National Order of Cultural Merit Medal Design

The insignia of the Order of Cultural Merit is a cross of St. James of the Sword enameled and profiled in white gold. In the center is an open book carved gold over a laurel wreath surrounded by the legend “Ordem do Mérito Cultural”.

The Grand Cross of the order is a purple band with the insignia on the loop and a gold glow under the banner. The commander’s insignia hangs on the center and the Knight’s has a ribbon with the insignia on the tip end. 

Order of Rio Branco

The Order of Rio Branco is a Brazilian award established in 1963 and named in honor of the Brazilian Baron of Rio Branco.

The Order of Rio Branco (or Ordem de Rio Branco in Portguese) is a Brazilian award established on 5 February 1963 and named in honor of Brazilian diplomat José Paranhos, Baron of Rio Branco.

The Order of Rio Branco is usually granted to personnel of the Brazilian Foreign Ministry or to foreigners for achievements in diplomacy.

The Grand Master of the Order is the President of Bazil, and the order’s Chancellor is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The motto of the order is “UBIQUE PATRIAE MEMOR”.

Classes of the Order of Rio Branco

The Order of Rio Branco has six ranks of merit:

  • BRA Ordem de Rio Branco Gra-Cruz BAR.svg Grand Cross (Grã-Cruz)
  • BRA Ordem de Rio Branco Grande Oficial BAR.svg Grand Officer (Grande-Oficial)
  • BRA Ordem de Rio Branco Comendador BAR.svg Commander (Comendador)
  • BRA Ordem de Rio Branco Oficial BAR.svg Officer (Oficial)
  • BRA Ordem de Rio Branco Cavaleiro BAR.svg Knight (Cavaleiro)
  • BRA Medalha do Merito de Rio Branco BAR.svg Medal 

The National Order of Rio Branco Medal Design

The ribbon of the Brazilian Order of Rio Branco is blue with white eddes.

Order of Aeronautical Merit (Brazil)

The Order of Aeronautical Merit is a Brazilian award established in 1943 and presented for distinguished service in the Air Force.

The Order of Aeronautical Merit (or Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico in Portuguese) is a Brazilian award established in 1943 and presented for exceptional contributions and distinguished service in the Brazilian Air Force.

Classes of the Order of Aeronautical Merit

The Order of Aeronautical Merit has five grades:

  • BRA Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico Grã-Cruz.png Grand Cross (Grã-Cruz)
  • BRA Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico Grande Oficial.png Grand Officer (Grande-Oficial)
  • BRA Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico Comendador.png Commander (Comendador)
  • BRA Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico Oficial.png Officer (Oficial)
  • BRA Ordem do Mérito Aeronáutico Cavaleiro.png Knight (Cavaleiro)

The National Order of Aeronautical Merit Medal Design

The ribbon of the Order of the Aeronautical Medal is blue with white edges and three thin white lines.

Order of Military Merit (Brazil)

The Order of Military Merit is a Brazilian award established in 1934 and presented for distinguished service and contributions.

The Order of Military Merit (or Ordem do Mérito Militar in Portuguese) is a Brazilian award established in 1934 and presented for distinguished service and exceptional contributions to the country. 

It can be awarded to members of the Brazilian army and friendly nations’ armies.

Classes of the Order of Military Merit

The Order of Defence Merit has five grades:

  • BRA Ordem do Merito Militar Gra-cruz.png Grand Cross (Grã-Cruz)
  • BRA Ordem do Merito Militar Grande Oficial.png Grand Officer (Grande-Oficial)
  • BRA Ordem do Merito Militar Comendador.png Commander (Comendador)
  • BRA Ordem do Merito Militar Oficial.png Officer (Oficial)
  • BRA Ordem do Merito Militar Cavaleiro.png Knight (Cavaleiro)

The National Order of Military Merit Medal Design

The ribbon of the Brazilian Order of Defence Merit is green with outer white stripes and edges. 

Order of Defence Merit (Brazil)

The Order of Defence Merit is a Brazilian award established in 2002 and presented for exceptional military service.

The Order of Defence Merit (or Ordem do Mérito da Defesa in Portuguese) is a Brazilian award established on 10 June 2002 and presented for exceptional military service and contributions to the country. The Order of Defence Merit was presented by presidential decree to replace the Order of Merit of the Armed Forces.

The award can be given to members of the Brazilian Military and friendly nations’ armies. In some cases, it’s also been awarded to civilians, institutions, and organizations.

In order of precedence, the Order of Defence Merit is the second-most important award in the country.

Classes of the Order of Defence Merit

The Order of Defence Merit has five grades:

  • BRA OMFA - OMD Gra-Cruz BAR.svg Grand Cross (Grã-Cruz)
  • BRA OMFA - OMD Grande-Oficial BAR.svg Grand Officer (Grande-Oficial)
  • BRA OMFA - OMD Comendador BAR.svg Commander (Comendador)
  • BRA OMFA - OMD Oficial BAR.svg Officer (Oficial)
  • BRA OMFA - OMD Cavaleiro BAR.svg Knight (Cavaleiro)

The National Order of Defence Merit Medal Design

The ribbon of the Brazilian Order of Defence Merit has three equal bars in green, white, and blue.

National Order of Scientific Merit (Brazil)

The National Order of Scientific Merit is a Bazilian honor bestowed upon personalities recognized for scientific and technical contributions.

The National Order of Scientific Merit (or Ordem Nacional do Mérito Científic in Portuguese) is a Bazilian honor bestowed upon personalities recognized for scientific and technical contributions. It was  instituted on March 16, 1993, by Decree no. 772 and updated on February 6, 2002, by Decree no. 4.115. 

The order can be awarded to Brazilian and foreign personalities that have helped the cause and development of science in Brazil. 

The honor is given by the Grand Master of the Order on 13 June of each year. The date celebrates the birth of José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, a Brazilian statesman, professor, and poet and one of the most important mentors of Brazil’s independence.

Classes of the National Order of Scientific Merit

The Order of Scientific Merit has just two grades:

  • National Order of Scientific Merit - Grand Cross (Brazil) - ribbon bar.png Grand Gross (Grã-cruz or GCOMNC)
  • National Order of Scientific Merit - Commander (Brazil) - ribbon bar.png Commander (Comendador or COMNC)

The National Order of Scientific Merit Medal Design

The ribbon of the Brazilian Order of Scientific Merit is red with white edges. 

The Cross of Ivan Mazepa

The Cross of Ivan Mazepa (Хрест Івана Мазепи) was by the Decree of the President of Ukraine V. Yushchenko on March 26, 2009. The medal was instituted to honor persons for significant contribution to the revival of national, cultural, artistic, spiritual, architectural, military and historical heritage of Ukraine, for achievements in state, diplomatic, humanistic, scientific, educational and charitable activity.

Ivan Mazepa may be awarded the Cross posthumously.

The Cross of Ivan Mazepa Design

Ivan Mazepa’s cross is made of gilded silver and has the shape of a straight equilateral cross with extended sides, the edges of which are concave inwards. In the center of the cross there is a cartouche, on the blue background of which there is an image of a Cossack from the military seal of Hetman Ivan Mazepa. 

The Order For Brave Miners’ Work

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Year of Institution: 2 September 2008
  • Country: Ukraine

The Order For Brave Miners’ Work (Орден «За доблесну шахтарську працю») was instituted in 2008 and honor workers that extract coal, iron-ore, non-ferrous metal ores, rare-earth ores, manganese and uranium ores, workers of mine building enterprises. The Order may be awarded to workers who are employed full-time in underground work. 

The first 19 people awarded the Order “For Valiant Mining” III degree (for significant personal contribution to strengthening the energy potential of the state) were coal miners, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Stakhanov movement and the Miner’s Day.

The Order has three degrees; the highest degree of the order is the first degree. Awarding of the Order is carried out by the decree of the President of Ukraine.

The Order For Brave Miners' Work Design

The emblem of the Order is made of rock crystal and has the shape of a straight equilateral cross with pointed edges. In the center there is a rhombic medallion covered in white enamel and depicting the small State Emblem of Ukraine. Under the emblem there are crossed picks and a hammer made of yellow metal. The medallion is framed by an image of a ribbon interwoven in the corners, in dark red enamel with the inscription “For valiant mining work.” At the top of the ribbon is bordered by branches of bay leaves, at the bottom – oak leaves. The cross is superimposed on a quadrangular star with diverging faceted black rays. 

The author of the insignia of the order is the artist O. Rudenko.

The Order of Danylo Halytsky

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Year of Institution: 20 February 2003
  • Country: Ukraine

The Order of Danylo Halytsky (Орден Данила Галицького) was instituted on February 20, 2003 to honor the military men of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It was created by the Verkhovna Rada, the unicameral parliament of Ukraine.

Awards to serving members of the armed forces bear crossed swords.

The Order for Courage (Ukraine)

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Year of Institution: 22 September 1996
  • Country: Ukraine

The Order for Courage (Орден «За мужність») is a Ukrainian award for courage established on August 21, 1996.

Before August, 1996, personal bravery had been honored with Awards of the President of Ukraine for Courage: the Star for Courage and the Cross for Courage instituted on April 29, 1995. On August 21, 1996, they were transformed into three classes of the Order for Courage. 

The Order for Courage Design

The order was designed by Mykola Lebid, a Ukrainian painter, graphic artist, designer, Honored Artist of Ukraine, and professor, and winner of Nikolai Ostrovsky Premium in 1986.