President Joe Biden announced on Saturday (Jan. 4) that Bono is one of 19 people who will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
In addition to the U2 singer, other honorees include Hillary Clinton, NBA legend “Magic” Johnson, football icon Lionel Messi, science expert Bill Nye, Fashion Editors Anna Wintour, George Soros, designer Ralph Lauren, chef José Andrés and conservationist Jane Goodall.
“President Biden believes in great leaders who keep the faith, give everyone a fair chance, and put decency above all else,” the White House wrote in a statement. “These nineteen individuals are great leaders. , they make America and the world a better place because they are great leaders because they are good people who make extraordinary contributions to their country and the world.
The statement also noted that the Presidential Medal of Freedom “is awarded to an individual who has made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant social, public or private endeavors.”
In paying tribute to Bono, the White House highlighted the legendary Irish rocker as a “pioneering activist in the fight against AIDS and poverty” and noted his role in uniting opposition politicians to create the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) AIDS program . Bono is also a co-founder of advocacy organizations ONE and (RED).
The Presidential Medal of Freedom will be awarded Saturday at the White House.
The news comes just weeks after U2 How to reassemble an atomic bomba special edition celebrating its 20th anniversary How to dismantle an atomic bomb as well as previously unreleased tracks from the recording sessions for the 2004 album. September, U2 premieres V-U2: an immersive concert film at the Sphere Las Vegas, showcasing their historic location at The Sphere in Sin City.
U2’s latest album, song of surrenderwas released in March 2023 and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200.
