Oscar Niemeyer received the French Order of the Legion of Honor

Rio de Janeiro - France today honored Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer with the Order of the Legion of Honor. The award, with the rank of commander, was presented to Niemeyer in his office in Copacabana by the French ambassador to Brazil, Antoine Pouillieute.
    Niemeyer, who will celebrate his 100th birthday on Saturday, lived in France from 1964 to 1975. The architect, who emigrated from Brazil due to his affiliation with the communist party, designed, among other things, the building of the communist party headquarters and the administrative building of Renault. However, his greatest work is the Brazilian capital Brasília. It was completely built fifty years ago by then Brazilian president Juscelino Kubitschek, the grandson of a Czech emigrant, and Niemeyer designed the vast majority of the buildings there.
    "I am very pleased to receive this award from France, from people who have shown me kindness many times," Niemeyer said after receiving the honor. Pouillieute described the architect as a genius of the creative world.
    The Order of the Legion of Honor is the highest French decoration. It is awarded for exceptional military, cultural, social, or scientific contributions to France.