Biden awards Presidential Medal to George Soros, Denzel Washington, Messi, Vogue's Anna Wintour and more
From left: Open Society Founder George Soros, actor Denzel Washington, Vogue Editor Anna Wintour and actor Michael J Fox.
US President Joe Biden has awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Open Society Founder George Soros, Vogue Editor Dame Anna Wintour, Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and actors Denzel Washington and Michael J Fox, as well as 14 others.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom, established under former President John F Kennedy, is the highest civilian honour presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions in the field of prosperity, values, or security in the US. It is awarded at the discretion of the sitting US president following advice from an external advisory panel.
Others who received the award include fashion entrepreneur Ralph Lauren, footballer Lionel Messi, Spanish-American culinary innovator Jose Andres, entrepreneur Tim Gill, conservationist Jane Goodall, retired basketball player Earvin Jonson, businessman David Rubenstein, Bono, former Secretary of Ash Carter, William Sanford Nye and award-winning writer and director George Stevens, Jr were also honoured.
Those who were awarded on a posthumous basis are Robert Francis Kennedy, racial justice fighter Fannie Lou Hamer and George Romney.
The medal was awarded at a White House ceremony on January 4, 2025.
Mr Soros, a Jew who escaped the Holocaust while living in Hungary, founded Open Society out of a belief that societies only thrive when people live as equals, with guaranteed rights and freedoms. He began his philanthropic work in 1979 supporting black students at universities in South Africa. Since then, he has given out more than $32 billion to fund the organisation.
Open Society is renowned for defending and advancing human rights and justice across the world. It is currently headed by Kenyan-born lawyer Binaifer Nowrojee.
The organisation spends around $1.5 billion (about Sh196.5 billion) every year funding various initiatives across the globe. It also supports civil society groups and projects that strengthen freedom in 100 countries across the globe.
In Kenya, the organisation supported the Kofi Annan-led talks that stopped the 2008 post-election violence, funded programmes that gave rise to the 2010 Constitution, and sponsored the push for Nubians in Kibera to get a title deed, among other initiatives.
