As part of the Walloon Festivities, the Walloon Government has decided to pay tribute to men and women who embody excellence, passion and Walloon commitment. These are people who proudly showcase the values of our beautiful region across every corner of Belgium and beyond our borders.
Through their remarkable journeys, these award winners have not only excelled in their respective fields; they have also inspired through their determination, talent and ability to rise to challenges. Whether athletes pushing the limits of endurance, artists opening windows onto new worlds, esteemed chefs awakening our taste buds, or political and civic figures who have shaped our society today, they remind us that success is built with passion and boldness.
These 15 individuals or associations will receive different distinctions depending on their career. An award will be presented by each of the ministers present for the occasion.
1. Paul Furlan, posthumously
Title: Commander
Minister presenting the award: Adrien Dolimont
Paul Furlan, originally from Binche, dedicated his life to public service with exceptional energy and commitment. Elected as a Walloon MP in 1999, mayor of Thuin from 2000, and Walloon socialist minister for local authorities and tourism from 2009 to 2017, he left his mark on every role he held.
Paul Furlan was a man close to everyone, driven by a genuine vision for our municipalities, our towns, and for the local authorities which he managed to reform with a rare sense of commitment. His tireless work left a lasting legacy: important reforms and numerous initiatives that continue to benefit our region and our 262 municipalities today.
Behind the politician was also a warm, jovial man who led his life with infectious enthusiasm. A life he lived at full speed until 10 April this year, when Paul Furlan was 60 years old.
Anne d'Ieteren
Title: Commander
Minister presenting the award: Jacqueline Galant
Anne d'Ieteren was six-time Belgian dressage champion with her horse “Juroto”. She made a name for herself in the equestrian world thanks to her talent and competitive spirit. But her legacy goes far beyond the titles she won.
As president of the Belgian Paralympic Committee from 2009 to 2022, she played a decisive role in promoting sport for people with disabilities, with particular attention to para-dressage. Under her leadership, Belgium shone on the international stage, winning six Paralympic medals, three of them gold, and captivating an entire country at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.
Still driven by her desire for inclusion and excellence, Anne continues to inspire in her current role leading the Ligue Handisport francophone. Her work and dedication have been recognised on numerous occasions, including with the Order of Merit of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee and, most recently, the National Order of the Legion of Honour.
3. Philippe Foucart - Technord
Title: Officer
Minister presenting the award: Pierre-Yves Jeholet
Philippe Foucart embodies Wallonia's entrepreneurial and innovative spirit. At the helm of the Technord group since 2010, he represents the second generation of the family to take up the torch of this Tournai-based company, whose history began with his father, Michel Foucart, in 1975.
Under his leadership, Technord has risen to become one of the world leaders in industrial project integration, offering solutions in automation, electricity, data science and industrial IT.
Through his visionary leadership, Philippe Foucart has propelled Technord far beyond our borders. Present across the globe, from Switzerland to Singapore, via Chile and the Netherlands, Technord shows just how well Wallonia can position itself as a land of innovation on the international stage.
Following his father Michel Foucart, who was himself made an officer of the Walloon Merit Award in 2018, Philippe Foucart perfectly embodies the values that make our region strong: excellence, perseverance and the ability to innovate. His company was also named business of the year in 2023, honouring his management skills, the abilities of all his staff and the intrinsic values of their company.
4. Marie Trignon
Title: Knight
Minister presenting the award: Valérie Lescrenier
Marie Trignon is the head chef of the restaurant La Roseraie in Modave, in the Province of Liège. When she took over the family business, founded by her father Vincent, Marie combined the tradition of a fine gastronomic history with her personal touch, modernising the venue into an elegant yet contemporary setting.
Her success has since been crowned twice, as she received the prestigious title of Lady Chef of the Year in 2023. Better still: on 26 February 2024, a Michelin star recognised her culinary excellence.
Her journey is as fascinating as her cooking: after a career as a translator in London, she reinvented herself as a chef by completing an intensive hospitality training course in England. Today, she runs La Roseraie with a clear vision: to offer a refined gastronomic experience in a breathtaking setting.
5. Doctor Guy Delrée
Title: Officer
Minister presenting the award: Yves Coppieters
Doctor Guy Delrée has been a general practitioner since 2004 and runs a medical practice in Marche-en-Famenne. He is not only a dedicated practitioner, but also a key figure in defending general medicine, particularly in rural areas.
A graduate of UCL in 2001, Guy Delrée quickly found his calling in general medicine. As president of the Association des Médecins Généralistes de Famenne-Ardenne (AMGFA) and of the Fédération des Associations de Généralistes Wallons (FAGW), he has tirelessly fought for doctors working in remote areas, where the shortage of professionals is sorely felt. Faced with the exodus of doctors and the excessive workload, he has spoken up loudly for his colleagues, while placing citizens' well-being at the heart of his fight.
Guy Delrée fights passionately to guarantee equal access to healthcare for all, regardless of where they live. Thanks to his efforts, he contributes every day to strengthening on-call services and preserving medical safety in rural areas.
6. Sarah Chaâri
Title: Medal
Minister presenting the award: François Desquesnes
Sarah Chaâri, a true rising star of Belgian sport, is the youngest athlete at this year's Walloon Merit Awards, being just 19 years old. She became double world champion in 2022, won gold at the European Games in 2023, and was magnificent at the Paris Olympics last summer, winning Belgium's very first taekwondo medal in the under-67kg category.
But what's equally impressive is her ability to juggle sporting excellence with a demanding academic path. Sarah not only passed her first year of medicine but continues to train five times a week. Sarah Chaâri is an example of courage, perseverance and sacrifice.
She also passes on this passion and her expertise to the next generation at the Tollyo Academy Charleroi, where she inspires many young people.
7. Professor Nicolas Gillis
Title: Knight
Minister presenting the award: Adrien Dolimont
Nicolas Gillis is professor and distinguished researcher at the University of Mons (UMons), where he specialises in data analysis within the Polytechnic Faculty. His innovative work, blending mathematics and operations research, showcases the academic excellence of Wallonia.
Nicolas recently received the prestigious ERC Consolidator Grant, an award that enables him to carry out his groundbreaking project, Beyond Low-Rank Factorizations, aimed at rethinking and improving current data analysis systems, a major issue in many scientific and technological fields.
Through his spirit of innovation and dedication to research, Nicolas Gillis perfectly embodies the strength and vitality of our academic landscape.
8. Chef Michel Boreux of the Auberge de Rochehaut
Title: Officer
Minister presenting the award: Valérie Lescrenier
Chef Michel Boreux heads a culinary and tourism empire in his home region of Rochehaut, matched only by his love and passion for his native land.
Together with his family, running several restaurants (starting with the Auberge de Rochehaut), guesthouses, regional produce shops, a vineyard, an animal park and an agricultural museum in Rochehaut, Michel, his wife Patricia and their three children have become key leaders in the Luxembourg province tourism sector.
This family success story is one of a family farm transformed in the 1970s by Michel's parents into a thriving estate, where the taste of local produce and gastronomic excellence are at the heart of every dish.
At L'Epi d'or, his fine-dining restaurant, Michel Boreux elevates seasonal produce with a rare passion for the authentic flavours of our region. Each of his establishments, run with his family, is the result of hard work and a deep love for the land and the trade.
Michel Boreux is not only a great chef, but also a builder, an ambassador for Walloon local produce and a major player in the tourism development of his region.
9. Jodie Devos (posthumously)
Title: Commander
Minister presenting the award: Cécile Neven
Let us now pay tribute to Jodie Devos, a Belgian opera singer from Libramont, whose voice and talent lit up the greatest stages in Europe.
A laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2014, Jodie Devos also won several prestigious distinctions, such as the Prix Jacques Dôme and Young Talent of the Year 2015. Her first CD, Offenbach Colorature, was awarded numerous prizes and praised by international critics.
The legacy of this artist, who passed away too soon, lives on through her music and her loved ones.
This Walloon Merit Award honours not only her exceptional achievements, but also the passion and dedication she poured into her art. Jodie Devos will forever remain an iconic figure of the opera scene and a vibrant example for Walloon youth.
10. Jean-Michel Saive
Title: Commander
Minister presenting the award: Jacqueline Galant
Jean-Michel Saive has shaped the history of Belgian and international sport for nearly 40 years. He is an ambassador for Wallonia with unrivalled talent.
At just 13 years old, Jean-Michel joined the Belgian national table tennis team. He reached the top of the rankings in 1985 and stayed there for 27 years, forever marking the sporting world with his exceptional longevity.
In 1994, he became world number one, a title he defended brilliantly for 515 days. He owes this leading position to his relentless work, his love for the game, and also to impeccable sportsmanship, which was rewarded with a Fair Play diploma in 1988. His charisma and popularity, beyond his victories, made him an athlete loved and respected by all.
Jean-Michel Saive has not only shone on the competition floor. Named officer of the Walloon Merit Award in 2012 for his sporting career, he is honoured today for his role as president of the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee, a position he has held since 2021. He played a decisive role in guiding the 165 Belgian athletes who competed at the recent Paris Olympics. A new generation of athletes he now guides with the same passion and dedication that carried him throughout his career.
This rank of Commander, the highest grade in the Walloon Merit Award, honours the career of a man who has showcased Wallonia and continues to do so around the world through his involvement in the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee.
11. BeeOdiversity
Title: Knight
Minister presenting the award: Anne-Catherine Dalcq
Founded in 2012 in Nivelles by three visionaries, Dr Bach Kim Nguyen, Michael van Cutsem and Emmanuel Lion, BeeOdiversity is the perfect example of entrepreneurship in the service of nature and people.
Their mission is simple yet essential: to protect bees and, through them, biodiversity. These insects, true sentinels of our environment, are the cornerstones of our ecosystem, and BeeOdiversity works to develop innovative solutions to combat their disappearance.
Today, the company doesn't just raise awareness: it takes action on the ground in no fewer than 20 different countries, with measurable solutions for businesses, communities and, above all, for the future of our planet.
12. Gabriella Willems
Title: Medal
Minister presenting the award: François Desquesnes
At 27, Gabriella is an accomplished judoka, specialising in the middleweight category (under 70 kg). From a young age, she quickly stood out on the tatami through her determination and technical mastery. Her performances have earned her a place among the best judokas of her generation.
Unfortunately, her journey was not without obstacles. In 2021 and 2023, Gabriella had to face serious injuries that jeopardised her Olympic ambitions. But more determined than ever, Gabriella overcame these ordeals to become part of the team of athletes selected for the Paris Olympic Games.
Her perseverance was rewarded with a bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games. This success is not only a reflection of her talent and rigorous training, but also a symbol of her incredible strength of character.
In recognition of her determination and success at the Paris Olympic Games, Gabriella Willems receives the Walloon Merit Medal.
13. Maxime Carabin
Title: Medal
Minister presenting the award: Pierre-Yves Jeholet
Maxime Carabin is a young 23-year-old Paralympic athlete from Soumagne (Liège). After a handball accident in 2019 that left him unable to use his legs, Maxime managed to turn this ordeal into an incredible source of strength. Just eight months after his accident, he discovered wheelchair racing and has continued to shine on the track ever since.
And brilliantly so! After being world record holder over 200m and 400m, Maxime won the gold medal in the 400m at the Paris Paralympic Games, followed by the 100m. But beyond his achievements, Maxime embodies resilience and determination. Together with his loved ones, he founded the non-profit Wheeler Forever, an association aiming to promote wheelchair sport and give hope to those who need it.
14. Didier Gustin
Title: Medal
Minister presenting the award: Anne-Catherine Dalcq
For more than 40 years, Didier Gustin has been running a dairy farm in Raeren, in the Province of Liège, with passion and dedication, alongside his wife and son.
But Didier Gustin is also the emblematic chairman of the Battice Agricultural Fair, a not-to-be-missed event he has championed with enthusiasm for over 30 years. This fair is much more than a simple gathering of farmers: it is a bridge between generations, a place of exchange and discovery for children, and an international showcase for Walloon agricultural excellence, with cattle competitions involving more than 20 countries.
Despite challenges such as the bluetongue outbreak, Didier managed to hold this year's edition brilliantly, bringing together nearly 2,000 animals and 180 exhibitors over 10 hectares.
Didier Gustin embodies the rural spirit and agricultural know-how with unwavering energy.
15. Jean-François Bourlart
Title: Officer
Minister presenting the award: Adrien Dolimont
At just 50 years old, Jean-François Bourlart, from Hainaut, is the boss of the Belgian cycling team Intermarché-Wanty.
Under his leadership, the team achieved a historic performance in the last Tour de France, winning three stages, something that had never happened before. This was largely thanks to the exploits of Eritrean Biniam Girmay, who became the first rider from sub-Saharan Africa to win a Tour de France stage, and the green jersey shortly after.
This achievement is not only a sporting victory, it is a symbol of openness, diversity and progress in cycling, a sport in which boundaries have been pushed thanks to this man's exemplary vision and management.