President Lennart Meri conferred decorations on Else von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Kuno Areng, and Harald Rajamets in Kadriorg today. The President had decorated all three chevaliers on the occasion of the Estonian independence.

Today, for the services to the Republic of Estonia, the II Class Order of the Estonian Red Cross was conferred on Else von Samson Himmelstjerna, humanitarian aid organiser from Germany; and the II Class Order of the White Star was conferred on Harald Rajamets, a freedom fighter and a translator who has translated into Estonian the works of Dante, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Steinbeck, and many Ukrainian authors. The III Class Order of the White Star was conferred on Kuno Areng, the chief conductor of the Estonian general song festivals, who also conducted the common Estonian-Finnish singing festival last Saturday as the chief conductor.

The President wished all the chevaliers of decorations strong resolve and ardour also in the future, and confirmed the respect and gratitude of the Republic of Estonia.


Press Service of the Office of the President
Kadriorg, June 20, 2000

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