Lilian Grootswagers appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau

FRH’s Advisory Board President, Lilian Grootswagers was appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau, an honour awarded by the Dutch State or Royal House to people with longstanding meritorious service to society. The recognition ceremony for the newly appointed knights of the order took place on 26 April, just before the birthday of the current King of the Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander.

This civil and military order was founded in 1892 by Emma de Waldeck and Pyrmont, who was Queen Regent for her daughter Queen Wilhelmina from 1890 to 1898 in the Netherlands. The Order has six classes: Knight Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer, Knight and member. It is awarded to individuals who have made outstanding achievements in their work, or who have rendered meritorious services of regional or even national importance.

You can know more about this distinction here: https://www.royalhonoursanddecorations.nl/decorations-and-honours/order-of-orange-nassau

Ribbon of the Order of Orange-Nassau

Lilian Grootswagers

Lilian Grootswagers – Theuns from Kaatsheuvel was secretary (2003-2005) of Special Education Foundation Loon op Zand e.o., board member (2005-2010) and later supervisory board member of Leerrijk Foundation (2010-2012). Since 2006, she has been chairman of Stichting Sterk (Stichting Erfgoed Kaatsheuvel). Among other things, she devoted herself to the preservation and redesignation of the St. Jozefkerk church in Kaatsheuvel. She was a member and later vice-chair of the Church Buildings Task Force Foundation (2006-2022). From 2015, she has been secretary Stichting Behoud Geertruidskerk in Geertruidenberg. She is a member and, since 2019, chairman of the Foundation ‘De Brabantse Hoeders’. Lilian Grootswagers was co-founder and secretary-general (2011-2020) and from 2020 President Advisory Board of the European organisation Future for Religious Heritage, a non-profit organisation that brings together people across Europe who are committed to the preservation of religious heritage. This organisation operates in 35 countries and has more than 200 members. Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.