Bono, Denzel Washington and Hillary Clinton among those set to receive Biden’s Medal of Freedom award

4 January 2025, 15:34

U2 frontman Bono, Oscar-winner Denzel Washington and British Conservationist Dame Jane Goodall are among those set to receive America's highest civilian honour from departing President Joe Biden.

Mr Biden is dishing out the Presidential Medal of Freedom award to 19 people including cultural icons, politicians and campaigners as he prepares to leave the White House in a matter of days. 

The Biden administration said these individuals were selected as they are "good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world". 

The outgoing president is due to present the medals at the White House in a ceremony this Saturday. 

Bono, real name Paul David Hewson, has previously been given several awards, including the highest cultural honour of France, the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters in 2013. 

He was named Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2005 and was awarded an honorary British knighthood in 2007.

Read more: Biden: Islamic State-inspired driver expressed desire to kill

Read more: Johnny Depp, Bono and Bob Geldof among those to bid farewell to Shane MacGowan at singer's funeral

The 64-year-old is a prominent campaigner against poverty and HIV/Aids. His band have recently been holding a residency at a high-tech new immersive venue in Las Vegas, which has 168,000 square feet of high-definition LEDs, 167,000 speakers and 17,000 seats, called the Sphere.

Mr Biden will also award four medals will also be awarded posthumously. Other recipients include Back To The Future star and Parkinson's campaigner Michael J Fox. 

Oscar-winner Denzel Washington, who recently starred in Gladiator 2, will also receive a medal. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton will also be handed the award by her Democrat ally.

Dame Jane, 90, who is regarded as the world's foremost authority on chimpanzees, was awarded a damehood in 2004, and the 2021 Templeton Prize, worth over £1 million.Dame Anna Wintour, Vogue magazine’s editor-in-chief. will also be given the honour.

Mr Biden pledged to work with Donald Trump during the remaining days of his administration as he prepares to transfer power to the Republican.

In his speech outside the White House following the Democrats’ historic defeat,, the President promised a "peaceful transition of power".He added the two have spoken on the phone and he reassured him there will be a peaceful changover.

The pair reportedly met in November and “both really enjoyed seeing each other” when they sat down for a post-election meeting in the Oval Office of the White House.

Following the meeting, Trump told the New York Post.“You know, it’s been a long, it’s been a long slog.“It’s been a lot of work on both sides and he did a very good job with respect to campaigning and everything else. "We really had a really good meeting.”