BIDEN AWARDS MEDAL OF FREEDOM

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The E-Sylum: Volume 28, Number 1, , Article 24

BIDEN AWARDS MEDAL OF FREEDOM

Biden also awarded nineteen Medals of Freedom. -Editor

Bono receiving Medal of Freedom

Vogue editor Dame Anna Wintour, U2 frontman Bono and billionaire George Soros are among those who have received America's highest civilian honour from outgoing President Joe Biden.

Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joined actors Denzel Washington and Michael J Fox as they also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House ceremony on Saturday.

Nineteen people received the honour this year, spanning the worlds of culture, politics and activism.

The White House said the recipients had been chosen because are they are "good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world".

Bono, who's real name is Paul David Hewson, has already been awarded the highest cultural honour of France and received an honorary knighthood.

He is known for campaigning against poverty and supporting those with HIV/Aids.

Wintour, one of the most significant players in fashion, has been serving as editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988 and among other charities helped raised more than $20m for Aids research.

She also raised money for UK arts organisations following funding cuts in 2022.

Hillary Clinton receives the award just weeks before her former political rival is sworn in as president. She was the Democratic White House candidate lost to Donald Trump in the 2016 election.

Inter Miami soccer star Lionel Messi, retired Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Earvin "Magic" Johnson and fashion designer Ralph Lauren also received the medal.

American Film Institute founder George Stevens Jr and former Kennedy Center chair David Rubinstein were among the cohort receiving medals.

Other recipients include humanitarian and chef José Andrés, whose World Central Kitchen has helped provide food for civilians in war zones and areas hit by natural disasters; acclaimed British conservationist Jane Goodall and science educator Bill Nye.

Former US Attorney General Robert F Kennedy, former Defence Secretary Ash Carter, civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer and former Governor of Michigan George W Romney will receive the award posthumously.

While politics always works its way into these choices, the large number of medals allows for recognition of a wide range of recipients. Where outside of a bizarrely cool costume party might one find oneself in the same room as Bill Nye, Jane Goodall, Bono, Michael J Fox, José Andrés, Lionel Messi, Magic Johnson and Ralph Lauren? What do they find in common to talk about before and after the ceremony? "Hey, nice medal!" "I'm donating mine to charity." "I'll frame this and hang it up in my new yacht." "Hey everybody - beers are on me at the Willard Hotel Round Robin Bar!" -Editor

To read the complete article, see:
Biden awards Wintour, Bono and Soros with Medal of Freedom (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ced87711zlno)

To read the earlier E-Sylum articles, see:
THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM AND THE INSTITUTE OF HERALDRY (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v14n01a07.html)
STUDY REVIEWS MEDAL OF FREEDOM AWARDEES (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n01a21.html)
MOE BERG'S PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM (https://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v19n35a33.html)
BOB COUSY AWARDED MEDAL OF FREEDOM (https://www.coinbooks.org/v22/esylum_v22n34a23.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

The Numismatic Bibliomania Society is a non-profit organization promoting numismatic literature. See our web site at coinbooks.org.

To submit items for publication in The E-Sylum, write to the Editor at this address: whomren@gmail.com

To subscribe go to: https://my.binhost.com/lists/listinfo/esylum

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