The Order of Friendship (Russian: Орден Дружбы) is a state decoration of the Russian Federation established by Boris Yeltsin by presidential decree 442 of March 2, 1994 to reward foreign nationals whose work, deeds and efforts were aimed at the betterment of relations with the Russian Federation and its people. Its statute was later amended by presidential decree 19 of January 6, 1999, presidential decree 1099 of September 7, 2010, presidential decree 1631 of December 16, 2011, and presidential decree 308 of March 16, 2012. It can trace its lineage to the Soviet Order of Friendship of Peoples.
The Order of Friendship is awarded to Russian and foreign nationals for special merit in strengthening peace, friendship, cooperation and understanding between nations, for fruitful work on the convergence and mutual enrichment of cultures of nations and peoples; for the active conservation, development and promotion of the cultural and historical heritage of Russia; for great contribution to the implementation of joint ventures with the Russian Federation, major economic projects and attracting investments into the economy of the Russian Federation; for broad charitable activities.
The badge of the Order of Friendship is made of gilded silver and enamels. It is a pentagonal star created from diverging golden rays. On the obverse at the center of the star is a terrestrial globe, with the oceans covered in blue enamel. The globe is surrounded by a green enamelled wreath of olive branches. On the reverse is the inscription "Peace and Friendship" (Russian: "Мир и дружба") and the etched serial number of the individual award. The distance between opposite tips of the star is 44 mm.
The badge of the order is connected by a ring through the suspension loop to a standard Russian pentagonal mount covered with an overlapping 24 mm wide green silk moiré ribbon with 6 mm wide light blue stripes along its edges. When worn in the presence of other Orders and medals of the Russian Federation, the Order of Friendship is located immediately after the Order of Honour.
The following individuals were awarded the Order of Friendship:
Sopubek Begaliev, Kyrgyz politician (Kyrgyzstan)
Lydia T. Black, a historian and anthropologist in the field of Russian America (USA)
George Blake, double agent (UK)
David Blatt, basketball coach (Israel/USA)
The Right Honourable Jean Chrétien, PC, OM, CC, QC, former Prime Minister of Canada
Dimitris Christofias, President of Cyprus
Emir Kusturica, film director (Serbia)
Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada
Van Cliburn, renowned pianist (USA)
Patricia Cloherty, entrepreneur and businesswoman (USA)
Frank De Winne, ESA astronaut and head of the European Astronaut Centre (Belgium)
Milorad Dodik, President of the Republika Srpska
Maurice Druon, writer (France)
Yuli Gusman, film director (Azerbaijan)
Ignatius IV of Antioch (Hazim), patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church
Prince Dimitri Romanov, claimant to headship of the Imperial House of Russia
Daisaku Ikeda, president of Soka Gakkai International (Japan)
Jayakanthan, Tamil writer (India), 2011
Raymond E. Johnson, founder of the Museum of Russian Art in Minneapolis (USA)
Akhmad Kadyrov, President of Chechnya
Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress
Anatoly Karpov, chess player, for his great contribution to strengthening peace and friendship between peoples and productive social activities
Prince Michael of Kent, cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and descendant of Tsar Alexander II of Russia; a qualified interpreter of Russian (UK)
Vakhtang Kikabidze, singer and actor (the award was rejected by Kikabidze in August 2008) (Georgia)
André Kuipers, ESA astronaut (Netherlands)
Lee Kuan Yew, Minister Mentor of Singapore
Valery Leontiev, pop singer
Yulia Lipnitskaya, figure skater, received award for outstanding performance at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics
Antonio Mennini, Apostolic Nuncio to Russia (2002–2010) for his contribution to the development of Russian-Vatican relations (Vatican)
John Middleton-Tidwell, a historian of Russian-American studies (USA)
Aliya Mustafina, Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics
Riccardo Muti, conductor (Italy)
Oscar Niemeyer, renowned architect (Brazil)
God Nisanov, billionaire property developer
Sagadat Nurmagambetov, Defense Minister of Kazakhstan
Constantine Orbelian, conductor and pianist, 2012 Medal Recipient
Victor Petrov, a historian of Russian-American studies
Richard Pierce, a historian of Russian-American studies (USA)
A. Sivathanu Pillai, BrahMos chief (India)
Marcel Prud'homme, Senator (Canada)
Jacques Rogge, 8th President of the International Olympic Committee (Belgium)
Buvaisar Saitiev, three-time Olympic gold medal wrestler
Ekaterina Semenikhin, honorary consul of Russia in Monaco
Mrinal Sen, film director (India)
Dimitris Sioufas, legislator (Greece)
Barbara Sweetland Smith, a historian of Russian-American studies (USA)
Dario Salas Sommer, Chilean philosopher
Ramayahi Shanmugam Sundar, director of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (India)
James W. Symington, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and current attorney at Nossaman LLP/O'Connor & Hannan (USA)
Rex Tillerson, U.S. Secretary of State under President Donald Trump, and former CEO of ExxonMobil.
Andrzej Wajda, film director (Poland)
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, recognised for contributions to friendly relations between Russia and the UK, and his love of Russian literature (UK)
Tatjana Ždanoka, politician (Latvia)
Slobodan D. Marković, creator and director of Subotica International Children's Theatre Festival (Serbia)
