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The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador

The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador (Ordre du Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador in French), instituted in 2001, is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the Newfoundland and Labrador Crown.

The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador is intended to honor any current or former longtime resident of Newfoundland and Labrador who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, having “demonstrated excellence and achievement in any field of endeavor benefiting in an outstanding manner Newfoundland and Labrador and its residents.“

The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador Design

New Members are presented with an insignia. The badge consists of a gold medallion in the form of a stylized sarracenia purpurea (or purple pitcher plant)—the official provincial flower.

The obverse is made in marbleized green enamel with gold edging, and bearing at its center the escutcheon of the arms of Newfoundland and Labrador, all surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in blue, white, and two shades of green; men wear the medallion suspended from this ribbon at the collar, while women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest. 

The Order of Nova Scotia

The Order of Nova Scotia (Ordre de la Nouvelle-Écosse in French), instituted on 2 August 2001, is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The Order the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the Nova Scotia Crown.

The Order of Nova Scotia is intended to honor any current or former longtime resident of Nova Scotia who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, having “distinguished themselves in many fields of endeavor and having brought honor and prestige to themselves and to Nova Scotia.” Canadian citizenship is a requirement, and those who are elected or appointed members of a governmental body are ineligible as long as they hold office.

The Order of Nova Scotia Design

New Members are presented with an insignia. The badge consists of a gold medallion in the form of a stylized epigaea repens (or mayflower)—the official provincial flower.

The obverse is made in white enamel with gold edging, and bearing at its center the escutcheon of the arms of Nova Scotia, surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in red, blue, gold, and white; men wear the medallion suspended from this ribbon at the collar, while women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest. 

The Order of New Brunswick

The Order of New Brunswick (Ordre du Nouveau Brunswick in French), instituted in 2000, a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The Order is described as the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the New Brunswick Crown.

The Order of New Brunswick is intended to honor any current or former longtime resident of New Brunswick who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, having made “outstanding contributions to the social, cultural or economic well-being of New Brunswick and its residents“. Canadian citizenship is a requirement, and those who are elected or appointed members of a governmental body are ineligible as long as they hold office.

The Order of New Brunswick Design

New Members are presented with the order’s insignia. The badge consists of a gold medallion in the form of a stylized viola cucullata (or purple violet)—the official provincial flower.

The obverse is made in violet enamel with gold edging, and bearing at its center the escutcheon of the arms of New Brunswick, surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in blue, red, and gold. Men wear the medallion suspended from this ribbon at the collar, and women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest.

The Order of Manitoba

The Order of Manitoba (Ordre du Manitoba in French), instituted in 1999, is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The Order is intended to honor current or former Manitoba residents for conspicuous achievements in any field. It’s the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the Manitoba Crown.

The Order of Manitoba is awarded to those who has demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, “benefiting in an outstanding manner the social, cultural or economic well being of Manitoba and its residents“. 

There are no limits on how many people can belong to the order, though inductions are limited to eight per year. Canadian citizenship is a requirement to be awarded the Order.

The Order of Manitoba Design

New Members are presented with an insignia. The badge is a gold medallion in the form of a stylized crocus—the official provincial flower.

The obverse is made in white enamel with gold edging, and bears at its center the escutcheon of the arms of Manitoba surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in red, blue, and white. Men wear the medallion suspended from a ribbon at the collar, and women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest. 

The Order of British Columbia

The Order of British Columbia (Ordre de la Colombie-Britannique in French) is a civilian honor for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Order was Instituted in 1989 and it’s administered by the Governor-in-Council.

The Order of British Columbia is intended to honor current or former British Columbia residents for conspicuous achievements in any field. It’s the highest honor amongst all others conferred by the British Columbia Crown.

The process of finding qualified individuals begins with submissions from the public to the Order of British Columbia’s advisory council. Posthumous nominations are not accepted.

The Order of British Columbia Design

New Members of the Order are presented with an insignia consisting of a gold medallion in the form of a stylized flower of the Pacific Dogwood—the official provincial flower.

The obverse is made in white enamel with gold edging, and bears at its center the escutcheon of the arms of British Columbia, all surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor.

The ribbon has vertical stripes in green, white, blue, and gold, reflecting the colors of the provincial coat of arms.

Men wear the medallion suspended from a ribbon at the collar, and women carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest.

The Order of Ontario

The Order of Ontario (Ordre de l’Ontario in French), instituted in 1986, is the most prestigious official honor in the Canadian province of Ontario. This civilian order is administered by the Lieutenant Governor-in-Council and is intended to honor current or former Ontario residents who have demonstrated a high level of individual excellence and achievement in any field, demonstrating “the best of Ontario’s caring and diverse society and [whose] lives have benefited society in Ontario and elsewhere”.

Canadian citizenship is not a requirement to be awarded the Order of Ontario. The process of finding qualified individuals begins with submissions from the public to the Ontario Honours and Awards Secretariat. The new Members are entitled to use the post-nominal letters OOnt.

 

The Order of Ontario Design

New Members of the Order are presented with an insignia. The main badge is a gold medallion in the form of a stylized trillium, the official provincial flower.

The obverse of the medal is made in white enamel with gold edging, bearing at its center the escutcheon of the arms of Ontario, surmounted by a St. Edward’s Crown symbolizing the Canadian monarch’s role as the fount of honor. 

The reverse has the name of the Member engraved, along with the date of his or her investiture.

The ribbon is patterned with vertical stripes in red, green, white, and gold, reflecting the colors within the provincial coat of arms.

The insignia is worn suspended from this ribbon at the collar (for men) while women may carry theirs on a ribbon bow at the left chest.

The Order of Canada

The Order of Canada (CC) is a Canadian national order established in 1967 to recognize outstanding merit or distinguished service.

  • Time Period: Post-WW2
  • Institution: 17 April 1967
  • Country: Canada
  • Terms: C.C. – O.C. – C.M.

The Order of Canada (Ordre du Canada in French) is a Canadian national order and the second highest honor for merit after the Order of Merit. This award is considered the centerpiece of Canada’s honor system and is designed to exemplify the highest qualities that can enrich the lives of citizens and contemporaries.

The three-tiered order was established in 1967 to coincide with the centennial of the Canadian Confederation, and the first members were appointed 1 July 1967. The award was designed to recognize the outstanding merit or distinguished service of Canadians who make a major difference to Canada through lifelong contributions in every field of endeavor, as well as the efforts by non-Canadians who have made the world better by their actions – or those who exemplify the order’s motto, “desiderantes meliorem patriam” (“They desire a better country“, a phrase taken from Hebrews 11:16).

The sovereign of the order is the reigning Canadian monarch. The Governor General administers the order on their behalf as Chancellor and Principal Companion. Thousands of people have been appointed to the Order of Canada, including scientists, musicians, politicians, artists, athletes, business people, film stars, and benefactors.

The Order of Canada Levels

The Order of Canada has three levels: Companion, Officer, and Member.

  • Companion: Awarded for outstanding achievement and merit of the highest degree. There can be a maximum of 15 Companions appointed each year (for a total of 150).
  • Officer: Awarded for the achievement of merit of a high degree, particularly in service to Canada or humanity as a whole. There can be a maximum of 46 Officers appointed each year.
  • Member: Awarded for distinguished service in or to a specific activity, field, locality, or group. There can be a maximum of 92 members appointed each year.

The Order of Canada Design

The badge of the Order is a stylized snowflake with six points and a red annulus at its center. The design of this insignia dates from 1967 and is credited to Bruce Beatty, C.M., S.O.M., C.D. 

On the obverse is a stylized maple leaf struck in fine silver, circumscribed with the motto of the Order, “Desiderantes meliorem patriam” (“They desire a better country”), surmounted by the Royal Crown (St. Edward’s Crown). The insignia is composed of three individual pieces: the snowflake, the annulus, and the maple leaf. The color is added to the badge by hand through a unique application of opaque and translucent viscous enamel. The reverse of the Order of Canada reads CANADA written within a circle as well as a serial number placed in a box below.

The ribbon of the Order of Canada is white, 38 mm wide, and has red edges (9 mm). If undressed, a maple leaf of red, gold, or silver is worn on the ribbon. There is also a miniature for wearing in evening dress.

The Warsaw Shield

The Warsaw Shield (Ärmelschild Warschau) is a German military decoration for those who took part in the suppression of the Warsaw uprising.

The Warsaw Shield (or Ärmelschild Warschau in German) is a World War II military decoration of Nazi Germany, awarded to Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS servicemen who took part in the suppression of the 1944 Warsaw uprising. The Warsaw uprising lasted 63 days from 1 August 1944. Polish resistance attempted to liberate Warsaw as German forces withdrew. However, the approaching Red Army temporarily halted outside the city, enabling the Germans to regroup and defeat the uprising. 

Although authorized, approved and announced (the Warsaw Shield was  instituted on 10 December 1944 by Adolf Hitler, with full award regulations published in the Reich Law Gazette), production had not begun prior to the end of the war and the award was never issued. Dies were prepared, but were destroyed in an air-raid and no shields were actually produced before the end of the war. However, some sample matrices for the shield survived and have been used as the basis for the post-war manufacture of unofficial examples.

The Warsaw Shield Design

The award was designed by Benno von Arent. It was going to be a 50 × 62 mm bronze-colored shield with a large Wehrmacht-style eagle with folded wings grasping a writhing snake. A mobile swastika is superimposed on the eagle’s neck with, immediately below, a narrow banner with the legend WARSCHAU 1944. 

The shield was to be worn on the left upper arm of the uniform. 

More Nazi Germany Shields (Ärmelschilde)

These campaign shields were awarded to members of the Wehrmacht (the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945). They were given for participation in specific battles or campaigns and worn on the left upper arm of the uniform jacket.

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The Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (O.G.W)

The Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya is an award presented to individuals in recognition of outstanding service rendered to the country.

The Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (or OGW) is an award presented to individuals in recognition of an outstanding service rendered to the country. Especially, those who put their lives at risk to save their fellow countrymen and protect others.  

Among the notable recipients of this award include Former Senate Speaker, Hon. David Ekwee Ethuro, current speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Justin Bedan Muturi, former leader of the majority party in the Senate, Hon. Prof. Kithure Kindiki, and the current leader of majority party in the national assembly Hon. Adan Duale.

The Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya Design

The Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya medal features a central emblem, in the obverse, with a shield and crossed spears. The medal is adorned with a ribbon in the colors of the Kenyan flag: black, red, green, and white.

About the Kenyan Presidential Awards

In Kenya, it’s tradition to present various presidential awards during National Holidays to honor individuals for their excellent service to the nation. These awards are conferred by the sitting President and government, advised by the National Honors and Awards Committee.

Nominees are recommended by county commissioners, NGOs, government agencies, religious institutions, individuals, and community groups. The National Honors Act of 2014 outlines criteria for eligibility, such as displaying exceptional abilities, courage, leadership, and making significant contributions in fields like social, economic, scientific, public service, and governance. Recipients often include state or public office holders and athletes who have brought glory to the country.

Once awarded, recipients can add the honor’s initials before their name.

A Grand Warrior of Kenya title awarded to Dr. Samuel Maina Mwituria.
A Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW) title awarded to Dr. Samuel Maina Mwituria in 2022 by His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya.

What's the Meaning of OGW?

The meaning of OGW refers to The Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya, a prestigious award presented to individuals for outstanding service to the nation. It recognizes those who have shown exceptional dedication, bravery, and contributions in various fields such as social, economic, scientific, public service, and more. The award honors acts of valor, leadership, and significant achievements that benefit the country.

The Order of the Burning Spear

The Order of the Burning Spear was instituted for distinguished services to dignitaries, members of the public service, and professionals.

The Order of the Burning Spear was instituted on 21 April 1966 for distinguished services to dignitaries, members of the public service, and professionals.

The Order is divided into three classes:

  • Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (C.B.S)
  • Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (E.B.S)
  • Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (M.B.S)

Some of the notable figures who received this award include former Statehouse Spokesman Manoah Esipisu, 800 meters Olympic Champion and world record holder David Rudisha, and veteran journalist Jeff Koinange of Citizen Television Kenya.

The Order of the Burning Spear Design

The elder rank of the Order of the Burning Spear is always a breast star and a neck badge, while the insignia of Moran Burning Spear (M.B.S.) and it’s ONLY a neck badge.

The ribbon is black, half green with a wide white-edged red central stripe. The earlier insignia of the Moran of the Burning Spear had a silvered center.

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