Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook has received the accolade from the city of Clermont-Ferrand, a sister city of his hometown of Salford, England.
In presenting him with the honour medal of the city, Mayor Serge Godard described Hook as "the hero of Salford." The award was part of the 44th anniversary celebrations of the cities being twinned.
From Manchester Evening News: Clermont considers itself to be the 'rock city' of France and likes to compare its musical pedigree with Salford and Manchester - home to Oasis, Happy Mondays, The Smiths, and Stone Roses, and more recently The Ting Tings.
The two cities were twinned on May 15th 1966. Frequent exchange trips between schools have followed. There have also been cultural exchanges with artists exhibiting original work. Organisers of the Salford Film Festival have taken part in events in Clermont.
Councillor Derek Antrobus said: "With MediaCityUK, Salford is growing as a creative hub and the more links we can make with other international festivals the more opportunities we can create for our citizens.
"It's fantastic to see Salford's rich cultural and musical heritage played out to the people of France and I congratulate Peter on his achievement."
Photo: Manchester Evening News
