Thomas Fouilleron and Colonel Tony Varo honoured by high-level authorities in France

Surrounding H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince: Serge Telle, Minister of State; Laurent Stefanini, French Ambassador to Monaco; Colonel Tony Varo, Supreme Commander of the Military Force; and Thomas Fouilleron, Director of the Archives and Library at the Prince’s Palace. © Government Communication Department / Manuel Vitali

Thomas Fouilleron, Director of the Archives and Library at the Prince’s Palace, and Colonel Tony Varo, Supreme Commander of the Military Force, were honoured by high-level French authorities at a ceremony on Friday 10 January 2020 attended by H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince, Minister of State Serge Telle, and many other personalities.

Laurent Stefanini, France’s Ambassador to the Principality, explained that the honours “recognised two distinguished French nationals in Monaco, whose commitment to serving the Principality and contribution to strengthening the good relationship between Monaco and France are exemplary.”

Thomas Fouilleron, who was made a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, concluded his speech with a promise: “Be assured, Your Highness, Ambassador, that I will strive to keep working on behalf of the Monegasque nation, and its intellectual, artistic and literary forces, with the same enthusiasm and the same determination.”

Colonel Varo was then made a Knight of the National Order of Merit, and was keen to stress in his speech that “my parents taught me that a life without commitment is a life without flavour. They also taught me that it is through effort and self-sacrifice that we find true satisfaction.”