Washington, DC [US], January 5 : US President Joe Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to 19 individuals at a White House ceremony on Saturday. Among the recipients were former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actor Michael J. Fox, U2’s Bono, legendary basketball player Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Open Society Foundation founder George Soros, who was represented by his son, Alex Soros.
The posthumous awards went to former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, former US Defense Secretary Ashton Baldwin Carter, civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer, and former Michigan Governor George Romney.
Other notable honorees included Spanish-American chef José Andrés, entrepreneur Tim Gill, conservationist Jane Goodall, fashion designer Ralph Lauren, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, The Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein, science educator Bill Nye, playwright and director George Stevens Jr., and producer Anna Wintour. Argentine footballer Lionel Messi was also named a recipient but was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.
During the ceremony, Biden praised the recipients for their outstanding contributions to American culture and global influence. He expressed his gratitude for their dedication to shaping the nation’s prosperity, values, and security.
Biden remarked, “This group leaves an incredible mark on our country, with insight and influence that can be felt around the globe, binding us closer as people and showing us that nothing is beyond our capacity as a nation.”
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to individuals who have made significant contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other societal endeavors. Biden emphasized that the honorees’ leadership has made both the US and the world a better place.