The National Order of the Ivory Coast (sometimes simply mentioned as National Order) is the highest state order of knighthood of the Ivory Coast. History The Order was founded on 10 April 1961 to celebrate the independence of the Ivory Coast which was until 1960 a French colony. As the highest state honour, it is awarded to those who have highly distinguished themselves to the service to the state. The collar Collar is awarded solely to foreign heads of state. Insignia The medal of the order is constituted of a white-enamelled cross of Malta, bordered in red, surrounded by a green crown of laurel. At the centre of the cross in a gold medallion showing a frontal elephant surrounded by a crown of laurel, the whole surrounded by a green-enamelled ring with golden inscription "REPUBLIQUE DE COTE D'IVOIRE" ("Republic of Ivory Coast"). The plaque shows the same design as the medal but the cross is put upon a silver radiating star. The ribbon of the order is dark orange. Grades The Order is subdivided in five ordinary grades, plus a special class of the Collar: Collar Grand Cross Grand Officer Commander Officer Knight Recipients Affoussiata Bamba-Lamine Marie-Thérèse Bocoum Jean-Bédel Bokassa André Chouraqui Jacques Diouf Sadio Gassama Édouard Guillaud Gaylord Harnwell Jean Herly Festus Mogae Mike Moore (New Zealand politician) Samuel L. Myers Sr. Ahmadou Lamine Ndiaye Jacqueline Oble Benoît Puga Bernard Rogel Fadika Sarra Sako Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Nouréini Tidjani-Serpos Arthur Young (police officer) Grand Crosses Aga Khan IV Akihito Beatrix of the Netherlands Jean-Bédel Bokassa Elizabeth II Levi Eshkol Princess Margriet of the Netherlands Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Pieter van Vollenhoven References External links World Medals Index, Ivory Coast: National Order National Order Ivory Coast, National Order of the 1960 establishments in Ivory Coast Awards established in 1960