Bier Qassem
21 September, 5412
For weeks the city has been abuzz with the slew of foreign delegations arriving for the combined award giving and monument opening ceremony hosted today in Bier Qassem. Outgoing President al-Ghanem, Prime Minister al-Aydin, and General el-Yamin were the main Badaran representatives, standing in front of a row of Badaran flags and behind the Badaran section of the memorial's wall of names. From Beiteynu came their Monarch Elias Ishmael IV, accompanied by dignitaries and diplomats, standing in front of rows of the flag of the Moledat. From Lourenne came their Prince, Louis of Alvium, standing with a few dignitaries in front of a row of flags of Lourenne, behind their nation's section of the name wall (the shortest, by far). Kundrati sent Brigadier-General Leonida Rufrius Mendico Kafuricus, Group Captain Alexei Vocodosky, and Admiral Valentin Chrobák and Deltaria sent VADM Stefan Stolojan and LTG Lucian Parvelescu.
Expressing his desire to honour all those who fought for our Republic, President al-Ghanem created the Order of Foreign Heroes and a corresponding Medal of Foreign Valour.
The ceremony also served as an opening for the Memorial of the Fallen Heroes, which will represent not only the casualties of war, but of the genocide that occurred on Nashwa.
President al-Ghanem opened the ceremony with a brief statement.
To to those who have traveled so far to attend, welcome. To my people I would like to thank you, for your support in me, for your bravery and strength through this crisis. Your resilience humbles me, and I am grateful for it every day.
To these brave heroes around me, to those who fought for our Republic, for those who died for it; no words can express my gratitude for your sacrifices. No price can be put on the debt our Republic owes to its saviors.
As a symbol of our eternal and humble gratitude, the Republic of Badara offers the Medal of Foreign Valor to all those invited today, who will be inducted into the Order of Foreign Heroes. For those from our own nation, they will be awarded the Medal of National Salvation and inducted into the Order of Heroes.
To those who lost their lives in this war and in the horrid genocide in Nashwa, let this memorial stand for all time as a sign of their sacrifice.
The President stood behind General el-Yamin, holding the Medal of National Salvation over his head.
General, for your inspiring bravery and dedication to the cause of democracy and your loyalty to the Republic. Your actions saved Nashwa, and saved the Republic. The Republic is in your debt, General.
Lowering the medal to the General's neck, al-Ghanem shook his hand.
The President then moved to the section on his right, where Elias Ishmael IV stood solemn in front of the flags of the Moledat. Standing behind the young Monarch, the President held the medal over his head of brown curls.
Elias Ishmael IV, Monarch of the Yeudi people. Your bravery in protecting the people of Badara when your nation had no necessary reason to do so. We can surely count Beiteynu as our friends, and yourself as a hero of our nation.
As the medal was placed on his neck the Monarch turned to shake first the President's hand, and then leaned somewhat to shake the hand of General el-Yamin - whom the Monarch has said he regards as a personal hero.
The President continued to the delegation from Kundrati.
Brigadier-General Leonida Rufrius Mendico Kafuricus, for your bravery and determination in liberating the land of Nashwa. Group Captain Alexei Vocodosky, for your bravery in defending the skie. And Admiral Valentin Chrobák, for your critical aid in ending the arrival of foreign radicals.
The President placed medals on each of their shoulders and moved to the delegation from Lourenne.
To Prince Louis of Alvium, for his bravery in fighting the pirates in the Sea of Lost Souls.
The Prince smiled as he received his medal.
And to Stefan Stolojan and Lucian Parvelescu of Deltaria, for their bravery and excellence in the coalition effort to retake Nashwa.
Returning to his podium, the President picked up a torch and lit it. He began to march towards the center of the monument, a plaza around a giant brazier. Around the brazier were five smaller ones, and behind each flew a flag of one of the attending nations.
The other leaders of their respective delegations followed the President, and with burning torches in hand they went to their respective brazier. One by one the delegations lit their brazier, and when the last was lit by Elias Ishmael IV, the center brazier erupted into flame. A strong flame burned in the brazier, lighting up the entire monument despite the setting sun.
Let this monument stand forever as a sign of the unity of our nations, and to show that if the beacons of liberty burn together, their flame will be bright enough to light even the darkest of days.
A beautiful ceremony to celebrate a beautiful end to a terrible chapter in our nation’s history.
