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Metropolis Desk –
Jacinda Ardern, who resigned as prime minister in January, claimed she had given the title some thought but decided to accept it out of gratitude. Just four months after concluding her stint as prime minister, during which she established herself as the international face of a compassionate type of liberal politics, Jacinda Ardern received the title of dame on Monday for her contribution to New Zealand.
The second-highest honor in the nation, the Dame Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, was given by an annual custom of honors given on the King’s Birthday holiday. The British king, King Charles III, who serves as the head of state for New Zealand, typically approves the awardees after the prime minister makes his selection.
The prize, according to Ms. Ardern, “humbled” her, and she had initially thought about declining it.
“So many of the things we experienced as a country over the last five years were about all of us rather than one individual,” she said in a statement. “For me, this is a way to say thank you — to my family, to my colleagues, and to the people who supported me to take on the most challenging and rewarding role of my life,” she continued.
The former leader, who now goes by the name Dame Jacinda Ardern, was honored for her contributions to the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and the deadly terrorist attacks in Christchurch in March 2019 — “some of the greatest challenges our country has faced in modern times,” according to her successor, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins. He claimed that Ms. Ardern had shown “absolute” dedication to New Zealand.
Ms. Ardern has been inducted into the Order of Merit, joining Sir Bill English and Sir John Key, who were her immediate predecessors as prime minister.
According to New Zealand custom, the Order of New Zealand, the nation’s highest accolade, was presented to Queen Camilla on Monday. Two former prime ministers, Jim Bolger, and Helen Clark, are among the 20 recipients of this exclusive honor.
Source- The Newyork Times
