TUNISIA ORDER OF CULTURAL MERIT

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen,

Maybe too many article concerning Irak in this forum,so I have decided to post a less known award from Tunisia : Order of Cultural Merit.

The Order of Cultural Merit was created by President Bourghiba by Law N° 66-61 of 5 July 1966 in 3 classes and was modified by the Law N°69-23 of 27 march 1969 in a 5 classes Order.

As of today only specimen of 5th to 2nd Class have been seen.

The insigna of the Order is a golden circular medal with a feather on each border and guitar on center.The ribbon is orange bordered in green.The case of issue are of dark green leather with no inscription on the lid,but with the mark of Arthus Bertrand Paris inside.

The second class of Grand Officer is a breast star & a neck badge.The breast star is pentagonal and is 80 millimeters of diameter.Those who know african Order will immediately remark that the body of the breast star is the same of the one used for the senior Order of Cameroon (the Order of Valour).The manufacturer Arthus Bertrand had in the past used tools made for one country to be re-employed for others country to spare cost.

The neck badge is small : 32 x 43 millimeters and this size is used for 5th till 2nd grades.

Since the end of the 90ies all specific Merit Orders of Tunisia (Culture-Agriculture-Sport-Teacher)have been replaced by the newly instituted Order of Merit which is now awarded for different titel.I mean that now the Order of Merit is awarded by the Ministry of Culture for the field related to culture,the Order of Merit is awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture for filed related to agriculture....

The Order of Culture is now an obsolete Order,but wearing of insigna is of course still permitted and there is no exchange policy for insigna of the new Order of Merit.

Emmanuel

Edited August 28, 2009 by heusy68

[heusy68]

Here you can see the Commander & Officer insigna.

The size is similar.The specimen displayed in the drawers of the Museum of Legion of Honour of Paris has been mounted by a wrong ribbon (the ribbon of the Labour Medal of Tunisia).

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Omar Khlifi who is a tunisian author (Moncef Bey King & Martyr and History of Cinema in Tunisia) & film realisator from 1966 till 1984.Later he was Counsellor to the Ministry of Culture.

In 1991 president Ben Ali awarded him Grand Officer of the Order of Cultural Merit.

You can see his award document here.

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

In 1982 Omar Khlifi was already awarded Commander of the Order of Cultural Merit.

So here you have the occasion to compare a document issued in 1982 from the time of President Bourghiba to the above post which is a document issued in the early President Ben Ali era.

Note below left side of this diploma the number "168",so from 1966 till 1982 only 168 Order of Cultural Merit awarded.But of course I cannot certify if this figure number is related only to the commander rank or to all ranks.

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

As I wrote before the Order of Cultural Merit of Tunisia & all the others specific merit Orders of Tunisia have now been replaced by the Order of Merit.Award document have been seen which make this 100 % sure and the date for the change is 1997 (this is 90 % sure).

Here is a 5th class of the new Order of Merit of Tunisia.It's metal gilt (not gold) and funny enough to be mentioned the case of issue is of yellow leather by Arthus Bertrand.

Those who know ex french colonies Orders know that the case for them are either green,red,bordeaux red,but yellow is the first time.

Emmanuel

[Christian L]

Thanks a lot for the information Emmanuel!

This tunisian order i have seen rarely and never with any info comming with it.

Regarding that the current Order of Merit is awarded by different Ministrys now, do they have different ribbon-colors for the different Ministry or is it impossible to see just by the piece which Ministry awarded it?

So that only the document will tell?

Thanks a lot Christian

[heusy68]

Thanks a lot for the information Emmanuel!

This tunisian order i have seen rarely and never with any info comming with it.

Regarding that the current Order of Merit is awarded by different Ministrys now, do they have different ribbon-colors for the different Ministry or is it impossible to see just by the piece which Ministry awarded it?

So that only the document will tell?

Thanks a lot Christian

Hello Christian,

That's correct,only the document tell which ministry award it.

By the way there is a Cultural Commander of Tunisia on e-bay : 370244197694

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Hello Gentlemen, new discovery !!! It seems that a larger size badge was also produced for the Order of Cultural Merit of Tunisia.

Maybe the large size was used for Commander alone, and smaller neck badge as the accessoiry badge of the Grand Officer class ? We will probably never know.

Its size is 45 x 60 millimeters (reverse is blank).

Ribbon width is same 37 millimeters as all modern french ribbon.

On next post I will show you the 2 size side by side.

Emmanuel

[heusy68]

Here the 2 size side by side 32 x 43 millimeters for smaller & 45 x 60 millimeters for large size.

Emmanuel

[Guest IMHF]

Very Nice collection, thank you for the help in keeping this section alive..

Lorenzo

Edited November 5, 2011 by IMHF