Bene Merito honorary badge for the ambassador, Dr. Emil Brix

On the 25th of November at the Polish Embassy in Vienna Arkady Rzegocki, chief of the Foreign Service, handed the Bene Merito honorary badge to the ambassador, Dr. Emil Brix, the director of the Vienna School of International Studies, consul general of Austria in Kraków in the 90s, author of a number of books published by the International Cultural Centre and – for many years -  a member of the ICC Foundation Programme Board.

Bene Merito distinction was awarded by theMinister of Foreign Affairs of Poland in recognition of Dr. Emil Brix’s merits in developing diplomatic relations between Poland and Austria and bringing together our cultures.

Professor Jacek Purchla delivered a laudation for him that he concluded with the following words:

“One should ask: should a diplomat act as an intellectual? Emil Brix has already answered this question. If Central Europe is a matter of our conviction, then definitely yes. Ambassador Brix is always well prepared for the new challenge. Ukraine struggling for its sovereignty and the place within “Projekt Mitteleuropa” is for him the hot issue for now. It is not the coincidence that he has held an honorary doctorate from the Ivan Franko State University in Drohobych for 20 years. Emil Brix is always ready to defend and to struggle for our common values!

It is yet another reason why Poland is proud and grateful to our Austrian friend. The prophet from the Diplomatic Academy in Vienna.”

The photo comes from the website of the MFA Diplomatic Academy.