Michèle George and Will Tura receive Flemish Decoration

It is now the eighth time that Flanders presents decorations. The Flemish decoration is an honorable distinction for people who have been particularly meritorious and who have contributed to the positive image of Flanders through their individual exceptional talents. This year, the Flemish government will award four decorations.

Two West Flemings

The Waregem rider Michèle George is, according to Flemish Prime Minister Jan Jambon, living proof that you should “never give up”. George had a serious accident with her horse in 2008, after which she developed paralysis in her left leg. George persevered and took gold twice at the most recent Paralympics in Tokyo.

Singer Will Tura from Veurne, according to Jambon “the greatest hero of the Flemish song”, also receives a decoration. The 82-year-old Tura, born as Arthur Blanckaert, started his singing career in 1957 and has since stringed together the Flemish classics, such as ‘Lonely without you’, ‘Poor Joe’ and ‘Beautiful ‘t life is beautiful’.

“Will Tura, officially you stopped doing it a while ago, but you will live on forever, really forever in the minds of millions of Flemish people for whom you have become an absolute icon,” says Jambon.

The other decorations go to doctor of medicine Peter Carmeliet (KU Leuven) and the Flemish top chef Seppe Nobels.