周六，乔·拜登总统在白宫为最新一批自由勋章获得者举行了众星云集的仪式，其中包括博诺、何塞·安德烈斯、莱昂内尔·梅西、希拉里·克林顿、简·古道尔等等。
根据白宫的说法，该奖章是美国最高的平民荣誉，颁发给“对美国的繁荣，价值观或安全，世界和平或其他重要的社会，公共或私人努力做出模范贡献的人”。
“作为总统，我最后一次荣幸地恢复自由勋章，这是我们国家最高的平民荣誉，授予一群杰出的、真正杰出的人们，他们放弃了他们神圣的空气...以塑造美国的文化和事业，”拜登周六表示，并提名了19名总统自由勋章获得者。“所以让我对你们每一个人说，谢谢，谢谢，谢谢你们所做的一切。”
白宫在一份声明中说，总统“相信伟大的领导人保持信念，给每个人一个公平的机会，并将体面置于一切之上。”
“这19个人是伟大的领袖，他们让美国和世界变得更加美好，”声明补充道。“他们是伟大的领导人，因为他们是好人，为他们的国家和世界做出了非凡的贡献。”
白宫的新闻稿称，希拉里·克林顿因“在几十年的公共服务中多次创造历史，包括作为第一位当选美国参议院的第一夫人”而获得荣誉。
“在担任国务卿后，她成为第一位被美国主要政党提名为总统候选人的女性，”声明补充道。
蒂姆·吉尔(Tim Gill)是其他获奖者之一，被白宫描述为“一位有远见的企业家，他的工作推动了LGBTQI的权利和平等。”
四位政治人物获得了追授的奖章。白宫表示，前司法部长、参议员罗伯特·弗朗西斯·肯尼迪是前总统约翰·肯尼迪的兄弟，小罗伯特·F·肯尼迪的父亲，“强烈反对种族隔离”，并“寻求解决该国的贫困和不平等问题”。
白宫补充说，国防部长阿什顿·鲍德温·卡特(Ashton Baldwin Carter)“将他的职业生涯奉献给了让这个国家对所有人更安全的事业”，而前密歇根州州长乔治·罗姆奈(前参议员、共和党总统候选人米特·罗姆尼的父亲)也将因他多年的公共服务而获得荣誉。
白宫表示，杰出的民权活动家和奖章获得者范妮·卢·哈默“改变了美国种族正义的斗争”。"她对政治体系中排斥黑人声音的做法提出了质疑，并为1965年的选举权法案奠定了基础。"
几位文化偶像也获得了奖章，其中包括U2乐队主唱和活动家博诺，演员和帕金森病研究倡导者迈克尔·J·福克斯，演员丹泽尔·华盛顿和剧作家小乔治·史蒂文斯
时装设计师拉尔夫·劳伦和时尚偶像为安娜·温图尔打扮也获得了荣誉，传奇篮球运动员埃尔文·“魔术师”约翰逊也获得了荣誉。足球巨星莱昂内尔·梅西也获得了这一荣誉，但由于日程安排冲突，他错过了颁奖仪式。
自然资源保护主义者简·古道尔和威廉·桑福德·奈——也被称为“科学人比尔·奈”——因其对科学教育的贡献而获奖。
白宫表示，西班牙裔美国厨师何塞·安德烈斯(José Andrés)被授予奖章，部分原因是他为“世界各地受自然灾害和冲突影响的社区”提供救济。
周六的公告称，凯雷集团的大卫·M·鲁宾斯坦和开放社会基金会的乔治·索罗斯因其数十年的慈善工作而获奖。
在发给美国广播公司新闻频道的一份声明中，索罗斯说，“作为一名在美国找到自由和繁荣的移民，我被这一荣誉深深感动，”并补充说，他将“代表世界各地与开放社会基金会在过去40年中共同事业的许多人”接受奖章。
OSF表示，索罗斯的子女和孙辈将出席白宫仪式，OSF董事长亚历克斯·索罗斯将代表他的父亲接受奖章。
Biden Presidential Medal of Freedom honorees include Hillary Clinton, Bono
President Joe Biden held a star-studded ceremony at the White House on Saturday for the latest batch of Medal of Freedom recipients -- which include Bono, José Andrés, Lionel Messi, Hillary Clinton, Jane Goodall and many more.
The medal is the nation's highest civilian honor, presented to people who have made "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values or security of the United States, world peace or other significant societal, public or private endeavors," according to the White House.
"For the final time as president, I have the honor of restoring the Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor, on a group of extraordinary, truly extraordinary people who gave up their sacred air ... to shape the culture and the cause of America," Biden said Saturday, naming 19 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. "So let me just say to each of you, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you've done to help."
The president, the White House said in a statement, "believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot and put decency above all else."
"These 19 individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place," the statement added. "They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world."
Hillary Clinton was honored for having "made history many times over decades in public service, including as the first First Lady elected to the United States Senate," the White House release said.
"After serving as Secretary of State, she became the first woman nominated for president by a major United States political party," the statement added.
Among the other honorees was Tim Gill, described by the White House as "a visionary entrepreneur whose work has advanced LGBTQI rights and equality."
Four political figures received posthumous medals. Former Attorney General and Sen. Robert Francis Kennedy, the brother of former President John F. Kennedy and the father of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., "fiercely combatted racial segregation" and "sought to address poverty and inequality in the country," the White House said.
Defense Secretary Ashton Baldwin Carter "devoted his career to making the nation safer for all," the White House added, while former Michigan Gov. George Romney -- the father of former senator and Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney -- will also be honored for his years of public service.
Prominent civil rights activist and medal honoree Fannie Lou Hamer "transformed the struggle for racial justice in America," the White House said. "She challenged the exclusion of Black voices in the political system and laid the groundwork for the 1965 Voting Rights Act."
Several cultural icons were also awarded the medal, among them U2 front man and activist Bono, actor and Parkinson's disease research advocate Michael J. Fox, actor Denzel Washington and playwright George Stevens Jr.
Fashion designer Ralph Lauren and fashion icon Anna Wintour were also honored, as was legendary basketball player Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Soccer great Lionel Messi was also a recipient of the honor but missed the ceremony due to a scheduling conflict.
Conservationist Jane Goodall and William Sanford Nye -- also known as "Bill Nye the Science Guy" -- were honored for their contributions to scientific education.
José Andrés -- the Spanish-American chef who went on to found the World Central Kitchen -- was awarded the medal in part due to his work providing relief to "communities affected by natural disasters and conflict around the world," the White House said.
Medal recipients David M. Rubenstein of The Carlyle Group and George Soros of the Open Society Foundations were honored for their decades of philanthropic work, Saturday's announcement said.
In a statement sent to ABC News, Soros said, "As an immigrant who found freedom and prosperity in America, I am deeply moved by this honor," adding he would accept the medal "on behalf of the many people around the world with whom the Open Society Foundations have made common cause over the past 40 years."
The OSF said Soros' children and grandchildren will attend the White House ceremony, with OSF Chairman Alex Soros accepting the medal on behalf of his father.
