President Joe Biden presented the prestigious civilian honour—the highest in the United States—to Bono, whose real name is Paul David Hewson, during a ceremony at the White House on Saturday. They were among 19 individuals recognized for their contributions across politics, sports, entertainment, and other fields.

The award honours individuals for their “exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public, or private endeavours.”

Bono, known for his advocacy against poverty and support for HIV/AIDS initiatives, attended the event wearing a simple black suit and his signature sunglasses as President Biden placed the medal around his neck.

During the ceremony, he greeted celebrity chef José Andrés, founder of the Washington-based disaster relief organization World Central Kitchen.

Also receiving medals were Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, 75, and renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, 90, who is considered the world’s leading expert on chimpanzees.

Other honourees included Back to the Future star and Parkinson’s disease advocate Michael J. Fox, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Argentine football legend Lionel Messi.

Bono has previously been recognized with several prestigious accolades, including France’s highest cultural honour, the Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, in 2013. He was also named Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 2005 and received an honorary British knighthood in 2007.

The 64-year-old musician and his band U2 recently held a residency at the Sphere, a state-of-the-art immersive venue in Las Vegas. The Sphere features 168,000 square feet of high-definition LEDs, 167,000 speakers, and a 17,000-seat capacity.

Over the years, U2 has released numerous acclaimed albums, with their latest, Songs of Surrender, offering reimagined versions of tracks from their extensive catalogue.