The French Ministry of Culture announced the decoration of Romanian conductor Ion Marin with the Order of Arts and Letters in the rank of Knight (Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres), one of the most important French ministerial distinctions.

The title of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettreswill be awarded to the famous Romanian musician for "his contribution and commitment in the service of culture", according to the official letter sent by the French Minister of Culture, Mrs. Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin.

The distinction of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters represents an important tribute for the personalities that stand out through their exceptional artistic creation in the cultural field or through the essential contribution in art and literature. Created in France in 1957 and acknowledged by Charles de Gaulle in 1965 as part of The National Order of Merit, The Order of Arts and Letters rewards the most important cultural personalities of the French world, but it also awarded to citizens of other nationalities for remarkable contributions in the enrichment of the French and universal cultural patrimony.

During his exceptional career of almost 40 years devoted to performance, Ion Marin distinguished himself as a promoter of the French culture, Francophonie, and of the universal european values. Since 1983 Ion Marin has conducted over 150 concerts and opera performances in France. He collaborated with numerous prestigious orchestras from the francophone space, such as: The French National Orchestra, The Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, Paris Orchestra, Lyon National Orchestra, Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Paris Bastille, the Orchestre national d'île-de-France, Orchestre national des Pays de la Loire, Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse, Nice Philharmonic Orchestra, The Orchestral Ensemble of Paris or Lamoureux Orchestra.

He conducted famous lyrical theater shows at the Opéra national de Paris Bastille, Garnier Opéra, Champs - Élysées theater, Lyon National Opera, Monte Carlo Opera and Opéra Nice Côte d'Azur.

He participated in prestigious classical music festivals in the French space, such as the Paris Festival, Saint-Denis Festival, the Festival International d'Art Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence, Monte Carlo Festival, Festival de musique de l'Orangerie de Sceaux, or Festival Radio France Occitanie Montpellier. Last but not least, maestro Ion Marin praised the French spirit and culture throughout the world in over 50 symphonic music concerts and opera shows of the French creators, performed on stages from Europe, SUA and Japan. In the 2019 season of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Ion Marin conducted the season's series dedicated to the French music, and in September 2019 he conducted the Enescu, Ravel and Debussy programme, with the French National Orchestra in Bucharest, within the The World's Great Orchestras section of the "George Enescu" International Festival.

Ion Marin is an avowed supporter of the cultural cooperation between Romania and France, being one of the personalities involved in the preparation of the official opening of the 2019 Romania - France Season in Paris and of the participation of the "Madrigal - Marin Constantin" National Chamber Chorus at the opening concert organized at the Dôme des Invalides in November 2018, in the presence of the president of Romania and of the French capital officialities.

As an important personality of the international musical stage, Ion Marin is among the few conductors of the world that reached world fame, not only in the symphonic aria, but also in opera.

The professional activity of maestro Ion Marin is completed by his decisive and fervent involvement in two great cultural and social programmes. Ion Marin is Honorary Director of the "Madrigal - Marin Constantin" National Chamber Chorus and also Founding President of the Cantus Mundi Romania National Programme and of Symphonia Mundi, which unite, through music, cultural and social activities over 60.000 children and conductors from Romania.

Since the autumn of 2020, maestro Ion Marin is also a university professor at the Mozarteum University from Salzburg, coordinator of the choral conducting department "Claudio Abbado" and the artistic leader of its concert activity.