Biden to honour Messi, others with top US award

Biden to honour Messi, others with top US award

US President Joe Biden will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to 19 honourees on Saturday, bestowing the highest civilian honour in the US to entertainers, sports stars, politicians, and diplomats.

Among those honoured by the outgoing US president are singer and activist Bono, basketball great Earvin “Magic” Johnson, long-time fashion editor Anna Wintour, sports player 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 honoured this year include chef José Andrés, founder of the non-profit World Central Kitchen, and monkey researcher Jane Goodall, a prominent environmentalist.

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Some of the recipients chosen by the 82-year-old Democrat have a higher 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 ran unsuccessfully against Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election.

A White House statement said Soros was awarded for his global efforts to promote democracy, human rights, education, and social justice.

Clinton, on the other hand, was praised for her decades of public service, including becoming the first woman nominated by a major party for president of the United States.

Biden also posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Robert Francis Kennedy, popularly known as “Bobby” or “RFK.”

RFK, who was US Attorney General under his brother John F. Kennedy’s presidency, was slain 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 choices for the Medal of Freedom indicate his determination to leave an indelible legacy before leaving office.

On Thursday, Biden also presented the Presidential Citizens Medal to Liz Cheney, a former Republican congresswoman from Wyoming who sat on the House commission investigating the January 6, 2021, revolt at the US Capitol.

Donald Trump criticised the move, calling Cheney “totally corrupt” and accusing Biden of rewarding her only for opposing him.