The Ethiopian Section of the Legion d’Honneur and Ordre National of Merit (SMLH-ONM) presented traditional helmets to the Association of the Ethiopian Korean War Veterans at a handover ceremony held on July 23 at the veterans’ association premises.
Ethiopian veterans of the Korean War, the legendary Kagnew Battalion, the President of the Association of the Ethiopian Korean War Veterans, Colonel Melese Tessema; President of the Ethiopian Patriots Association, Daniel Mesfin; Defense Attaché of the French Embassy, Colonel Stephane Richou; President of the SMLH-ONM, Teguest Yilma and members of the Section, friends and invited guests attended the handing over ceremony. 
The ceremony was organized in collaboration with the Association of the Korean War Veterans to honor and celebrate the illustrious Kagnew Shaleka battalion, sent in 1951 by Emperor Hailé Sellassié and the French battalion who fought side by side and mixed their blood in the mud of the Korean Peninsula and thus sealed an unwavering brotherhood.
In this 70th year of the Armistice of the Korean War, SMLH -Ethiopia paid tribute to them to the memory of the legendary Kagnew battalion and to their French brothers who gave their lives to restore peace in Korea through the humble gesture of presenting them with traditional helmets made upon their request.
Kagnew Shaleka Battalion was among the first in the multinational force that was deployed with a United Nations Security Council mandate to provide assistance to the Republic of Korea to repel the armed attack and restore international peace and security to the area. A symbol of an Africa engaged in peacekeeping operations from the very beginning. 
The association of SMLH – ONM Ethiopia was formed in 2013 by the recipients of the French government’s award of the Legion of Honor in recognition of eminent services rendered to their country and the strengthening of franco-ethiopian bilateral relations.
