Order of Lesotho

Order of Lesotho
Current ribbon bar of the order
Awarded by   Lesotho
Type	Order of merit
Established	1972
Eligibility	Mosotho citizens and foreign nationals
Awarded for	For meritorious service by Lesotho citizens and foreign nationals
Grand Master	King of Lesotho
Grades	Grand Commander Commander Officer
Previous ribbon bar of the order (1972-1987)

The Most Courteous Order of Lesotho is the highest national order in the honours system of Lesotho. ^[1] It was founded by King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho in 1972, in three grades. ^[2]

Insignia

The original ribbon for the order was predominantly dark blue, with narrow edges of red and green. In 1987, the ribbon was changed to feature a lighter blue, with edges of green and edge stripes of white, mimicking the colors of the nation's flag. ^[3] The badge of the order is a metal facsimile of the Mosotho coat of arms, with the horses enameled in orange with black manes, and the central shield featuring a green enameled crocodile.

Notable recipients

• Bill Clinton ^[4]
• Festus Mogae ^[5]
• Kenneth Kaunda ^[6]
• Nelson Mandela ^[7]

References

1. "Lesotho admires Mogae's leadership". olddailynews.gov.bw. Botswana. April 20, 2004. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
2. "Lesotho: Most Courteous Order of Lesotho". medals.org.uk. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
3. Prieto, Antonio. "Kingdom of Lesotho". coleccionesmilitares.com. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
4. McLean, Bethany (September 7, 2006). "The power of philanthropy". Fortune. 154 (6): 82–4, 86–8, 90 passim. PMID   17036727 . Retrieved April 15, 2017.
5. "F.G. Mogae 21st Century Council". governance.berggruen.org. Berggruen Institute. Archived from the original on April 16, 2017. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
6. "Lesotho Celebrates 40 Years of Independence". scoop.co.nz. Scoop Independent News. October 10, 2006. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
7. "Tributes search options". nelsonmandela.org. The Nelson Mandela Foundation. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved April 15, 2017.