During an official two-day state visit to neighboring Brazil, Suriname’s President Jennifer Simons has bestowed one of the country’s highest distinctions — the Order of the Palm in the rank of Commander — on veteran Surinamese academic Rudi van Els, in recognition of his decades of selfless service advancing bilateral educational and academic ties between the two South American nations. The investiture ceremony was held at the Surinamese Embassy in Brasilia, as Simons marked the 50th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations between Suriname and Brazil.
Van Els, an associate professor and engineering researcher affiliated with the University of Brasília, earned the honor for his extraordinary contributions to nurturing Surinamese academic talent, expanding educational access, and strengthening collaborative research and capacity-building between the two countries. A trailblazer himself, Van Els was part of the very first cohort of Surinamese students that traveled to Brazil for higher education in 1984. He built a decades-long academic career in Brazil, yet never ceased dedicating his knowledge, time and expertise to advancing development opportunities for his home country, entirely pro bono for most of his work.
In her ceremonial address, President Simons highlighted that Van Els has served as a critical people-to-people bridge between Suriname and Brazil throughout his professional life. Beyond his work in core academic fields including sustainable development, renewable energy, and rural electrification, he was a foundational leader in establishing the SuriBraz Academic Network, which has grown into a leading cross-border platform connecting scholars, institutions and civil society organizations from both nations.
Simons emphasized that Van Els’ consistent, uncompensated mentorship and support for Surinamese students and educational institutions has made a transformative impact on building Suriname’s human capital. Since 1984, more than 130 Surinamese students have completed higher education programs at Brazilian universities, a pathway that Van Els helped open and sustain through decades of on-the-ground support.
“Due to these extraordinary, long-standing contributions, the Republic of Suriname finds it more than fitting and well-deserved to extend our special gratitude to you,” Simons told Van Els during the ceremony.
The event coincided with Simons’ broader official visit to Brazil, which included a bilateral summit with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The Surinamese leader expressed full satisfaction with the outcomes of the high-level talks, noting that multiple new bilateral cooperation agreements were signed during the visit, spanning a range of priority sectors for both nations.
“These signed cooperation instruments across diverse areas clearly illustrate the results we have achieved. These successes are the product of our joint, mutual efforts, for which I extend my special thanks,” Simons said. “My visit in this anniversary year, when we mark 50 years of diplomatic relations, is an ideal moment to reflect on our decades of deep cooperation.”