Since 2019, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been awarding a new award - the Medal of Merit for Diplomacy. This award is given to domestic and foreign private and legal persons for extraordinary or long-term contribution to the Czech diplomacy, foreign policy and for extraordinary merits in the development of international relations between the Czech Republic and other states or international organizations.

Paul Van denbempt holds a degree in technical engineering from the Technical University of Mechelen. During his career, he first worked in various manufacturing companies, then founded his own companies, through which he immediately began cooperating with the Czech Republic. His cooperation with the Czech Republic has lasted for almost three decades. He was an adviser to the Belgian-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce for both the Czech and Slovak Republics, as well as an adviser to the Flemish Minister for Foreign Trade. In 1995, he won the "Oscar voor de Export 1995" prize, which was presented to him by Prince Philip of Belgium. He has been the Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic for the Consular District of Antwerp, East and West Flanders since the 5^th of June 2000. On the 17^th of September 2010 he was promoted for his outstanding work and appointed Honorary Consul General.