U2’s Bono Shares Heartfelt Thanks After Receiving Presidential Medal of Freedom

Bono is expressing his gratitude after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The legendary U2 frontman was among 19 individuals to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Joe Biden during a ceremony at the White House on Saturday (Jan. 4).

“Thank you President Biden. Frontmen don’t do humble, but today I was,” Bono wrote on U2’s Instagram account after receiving the medal. “Rock n roll gave me my freedom… and with it the privilege to work alongside those who’ve had to fight so much harder for theirs. And I want to give it up for my band mates – Edge, Adam, and Larry – without whom I would never have found my voice.”

Along with receiving the honor, Bono wrote an essay for The Atlantic, titled “The Gorgeous, Unglamorous Work of Freedom,” exploring the link between music and the quest for freedom.

“Freedom is a word that turns up with embarrassing frequency in rock-and-roll songs,” Bono began the op-ed, citing Bob Dylan’s “Chimes of Freedom” as an example.

“The reason I am climbing on this slippery soapbox called ‘freedom’ today is that I’m being given a presidential medal by that name—an honor I’m receiving mainly for the work of others, among them my bandmates and our fellow activists—and it’s got me thinking again about the subject,” the Irish rocker continued. “When we rock stars talk about freedom, we more often mean libertinism than liberation, but growing up in the Ireland of the 1960s, the latter had its place too. We were mad for freedoms we didn’t have: political freedom, religious freedom, and (most definitely) sexual freedom.”

In honoring Bono, the White House highlighted the singer as a “pioneering activist against AIDS and poverty,” noting his role in uniting politicians from opposing parties to create the U.S. PEPFAR AIDS program. He is also the co-founder of advocacy organizations ONE and (RED).

Other Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients this year included Hillary Clinton, Michael J. Fox, NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, soccer icon Lionel Messi, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, George Soros, designer Ralph Lauren, chef José Andrés and conservationist Jane Goodall.

“President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else,” the White House wrote in a statement. “These nineteen individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world.”

Watch Bono receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Biden in a video here.