By Nurat Uthman
United States President Joe Biden will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 honourees on Saturday, bestowing the highest civilian honour in the United States to entertainers, sports stars, politicians, and diplomats.
Among those to receive the honour from the outgoing US president are singer and activist Bono, basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, longtime fashion editor Anna Wintour, football superstar Lionel Messi, actors Denzel Washington and Michael J. Fox, and fashion designer Ralph Lauren.
The honourees “are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world,” the White House said in a statement.
Others recognised this year include chef José Andrés, founder of the World Central Kitchen NGO, and primate researcher Jane Goodall, a leading environmentalist.
Some recipients chosen by the 82-year-old Democrat hold a more political profile, such as billionaire financier and left-wing philanthropist George Soros and Hillary Clinton, the former First Lady, senator, and US Secretary of State who unsuccessfully ran against Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.
Soros was honoured for his global efforts supporting democracy, human rights, education, and social justice, according to a White House statement.
Clinton, meanwhile, was commended for her decades of public service, including being the first woman nominated by a major party for the US presidency
Biden also posthumously awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Robert Francis Kennedy, better known as “Bobby” Kennedy or “RFK.”
RFK, who served as US Attorney General during his brother John F. Kennedy’s presidency, was assassinated in 1968 while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination.
“His legacy continues to inspire those committed to justice, equality, and public service,” Biden said in a statement.
Biden’s selections for the Medal of Freedom reflect his desire to leave a lasting mark before leaving office.
On Thursday, Biden also awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal to Liz Cheney, a former Republican congresswoman from Wyoming who served on the House panel investigating the 6th January 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol.
The move drew criticism from Donald Trump, who on Friday described Cheney as “totally corrupt” and accused Biden of rewarding her solely for opposing him.
