US President Joe Biden presented the American "Medal of Freedom" of politicians, activists, athletes and actors at a ceremony in Washington, which took place late last night local time, BTA reported.
A total of 19 prominent personalities received the prestigious award, including big names from the Democratic Party.
"The Medal of Freedom" awarded annually to individuals who have contributed in an outstanding way to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, or to world peace.
Following this year's honorees were Al Gore, Bill Clinton's vice president and climate activist, as well as a failed 2020 presidential candidate who defeated George W. Bush. It was this vote that Biden recalled at last night's ceremony, saying that the democracy then accepted the result of this highly contested vote, doing so in the name of unity and trust in American institutions. This was a reference to Donald Trump, who did not publicly acknowledge the results of the 2020 election won by Biden.
Among the honorees was the former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. She was also in charge of the lower house of Congress on January 6, 2021, when Trump supporters attacked the building. Biden recalled this last night during the ceremony and said that then Pelosi was able to protect democracy.
Among the honorees was John Kerry, a Vietnam War veteran who also ran for president as a Democrat but ran unsuccessfully against George W. Bush in 2004. Kerry then served as secretary of state under Barack Obama. and finally he was also an emissary on climate issues.
Biden also awarded the medal to businessman Michael Bloomberg, who is a former mayor of New York. He was a Republican at the time. In 2020, however, Bloomberg ran for president from the Democratic Party, after which he gave up and financially supported Biden's campaign.
A posthumous honoree was Medgar Evers, murdered in 1963 in Mississippi by a white supremacist. Evers' name is forever associated with the fight for the right to vote or for access to universities for African Americans. Also honored was 97-year-old Opal Lee, who made efforts to have the end of slavery celebrated as a federal holiday on June 19.
Jim Thorpe, the first representative of an American Indian tribe to win Olympic medals, was also awarded posthumously. He was a specialist in pentathlon, decathlon, American football, baseball and basketball.
Swimmer Katie Lidecki, who has many Olympic and World Championship medals and who is 27 years old, also received the medal. Among the honorees was the actress Michelle Yeoh, who received the "Oscar" last year for his role in the movie "Everything everywhere at once".