By Julian Dierkes
I was awarded a Friendship Medal by Foreign Minister B Battsetseg at a reception commemorating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and Mongolia, and also the announcement of an upgrade of the bilateral relationship to a “Comprehensive Partnership”.
Photo: Mongolian Min of Foreign Affairs
I was actually quite touched and felt that recognition for “friendship” suits my relationship with Mongolia and Mongolians very well.
The medal actually turns out to be quite handsome, I will definitely look for occasions to wear the full version or the lapel pin although those opportunities might come more often in Mongolian than in Canada.
I was delighted that a number of people who have been involved in Canada-Mongolia relations were at the reception, including former ambassadors Anna Biolik, Greg Goldhawk and Catherine Ivkoff. Greg was awarded an Order of the Polar Start, congratulations!
Also lovely that a number of former students were also there.
This Friendship Medal came almost exactly 10 years after I was awarded a Governor General’s Medallion by the Rt Hon David Johnston during his state visit to Mongolia.
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