The Vice-President of the OIV, Ms Monika Christmann, affirmed the importance of all the OIV Member States and consumers particularly by presenting the OIV Merit to Mr Dirk de Maeseneer (Belgium), who for 15 years actively participated in the work of the OIV, especially during the period of re-establishment of the Organisation.

Mr Alejandro Marianetti (Argentina) received the Merit Award from the Director General of the OIV, Mr Jean-Marie Aurand, who praised the agricultural engineer's career serving his country as part of the National Institute of Vitiviniculture (INV) as well as within the OIV, and also as a representative of all of the Institute's collaborators for their involvement in the organisation and the success of the World Congress of Vine and Wine.

Mr Yves Bénard, Vice-President of the OIV, gave an award to his oenologist colleague from Morocco, Dr Ahmet Kamal, who took part in the activities of the OIV for 34 years and was an adviser at the state company for agricultural development and Director of the state company Sincomar, which manages the production, packaging and distribution of 80% of wines in Morocco.

Finally, it was with a great deal of emotion that the President of the OIV paid tribute, posthumously, to his Argentine compatriot and former President of the INV, Mr Raúl Horacio Guiñazú, for his national and international action in the wine sector and his determining role in Argentina's active participation within the OIV.

H.E. Mr Regazzoni expressed his satisfaction with this level of involvement, which is testament to the revival of Swiss viticulture, whose international success is helping to promote the country's vineyards. Made up of unique landscapes, some of these have been recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites – such as the Lavaux terraces.

In affirming his country's support of the OIV, the Swiss Ambassador also recalled that, every 25 years, Switzerland has hosted a globally unique Winegrowers' Festival in Vevey that celebrates the work in the vine and wine field. Mr Aurand pointed out that this festival also played host to the OIV Congress in 1955 and 1977, and expressed his wish for a repeat of this in 2019, at the next festival.

During an interview with the Director General of the OIV, he recalled the long-standing viticultural tradition of Bosnia and Herzegovina, some of whose native vine varieties – such as Zilavka and Blatina – are part of the world wine heritage.

Jean-Marie Aurand stated the importance of each OIV Member State actively participating in the scientific and technical activities of the Organisation and called to mind that, in 2012, the OIV recognised the specific characteristics of Bosnia and Herzegovina's viticulture by presenting the OIV Award to the book "Hercegovina Zemlja Vina - Hercegovina Wine Country" by Branimir Martinac.

Since the accession of Lebanon in 1996, Serge Hochar played a major role in the renovation and development of the Lebanese vitivinicultural sector, working closely with the OIV.

Head of the Lebanese OIV delegation for around fifteen years, he was also one of the architects of Lebanon's wine legislation established in 2000, Founder and President of the Union Vinicole du Liban and, more recently, President of the National Institute of Vine and Wine. He successfully positioned Lebanese wines on the international stage, a tireless ambassador dedicated to his passion and vision for his country's viticulture.

Jean-Marie Aurand, Director General of the OIV, who visited Château Musar with Serge Hochar last September, paid tribute to him by highlighting "his philosophical vision of wines, which will remain as testimony to his passion."

Mr Aurand took this opportunity to praise the excellent relationship between the Italian authorities and the OIV and the very valuable contribution made by experts from the Italian delegation in the OIV's scientific and technical groups, highlighting the fact that one of the four OIV commissions, the commission on economic and legal issues, is currently presided over by Prof. Eugenio Pomarici.

The Director General of the OIV also paid tribute to the contribution made by his predecessor, Federico Castellucci, to the Organisation, and shared the OIV's strategic axes for the next five years with the Italian Ambassador. H.E. Mr Checchia underlined the importance of the vitivinicultural sector for Italy and pledged his country's support in implementing these strategic objectives, which it played a key role in developing.