Bono has shared his thoughts on what is the best way to achieve freedom “ in every part of the world where health and humanity are at risk”.The U2 frontman expressed his outlook during a new op-ed for The Atlantic, which he wrote ahead of receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the US over the weekend (January 4).The title is the nation’s highest civilian honour and is awarded 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 endeavours”.
Bono received it this year from Joe Biden for his work as “a pioneering activist against AIDS and poverty”. Other recipients included Michael J.
Fox, Denzel Washington and more.In his piece for The Atlantic, Bono centred his discussion on “freedom”, and how it has meant different things across time and across nations.
One of the main topics he focused on was how the need for freedom has been expressed continuously in music.“When we rock stars talk about freedom, we more often mean libertinism than liberation, but growing up in the Ireland of the ’60s, that had its place too.