An honorary knight and a former president are being feted by the prestigious Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C.
U2 lead singer Bono and former President Bill Clinton will take home awards tonight, and not for the interest they share in music. They are being acknowledged in the nation's capital for their distinguished work on the international stage in the interest of peace around the globe.
Bono will receive the Council’s first-ever Humanitarian Leadership Award. Known worldwide for his music, Bono also has earned respect and praise for his longtime crusade against global poverty. The Queen of England tapped the Ireland native for honorary knighthood two years ago for his outstanding efforts for the world’s poor and downtrodden.
At the same ceremony, the Atlantic Council also will honor the international leadership of former President Bill Clinton. He will be singled out for his distinguished international leadership that led to peace negotiations in Northern Ireland, NATO's growth and NAFTA. He also will be lauded for his exceptional efforts that led to the Dayton Accords, the 1995 peace agreement that ended the war in Bosnia.
Among the others to be honored this evening are two generals -- James Mattis, of the U.S. Marine Corp., and Stephane Abrial, of the French Air Force. Deutsche Bank Chief Executive Josef Ackermann also will receive a Council prize.
The Atlantic Council, which counts current National Security Advisor James L. Jones and UN Ambassador Susan Rice as former employees, is a non-partisan group with a mission of promoting international cooperation, particularly between the U.S. and Europe. Jones will be joined at the black-tie gathering by Joint Chiefs Chairman Mike Mullen, Sen. John McCain and a host of other Washington socialites and politicians.
Last year's council dinner included a musical interlude from one of the awardees, baritone Thomas Hampson. With a singer and a saxophonist (Clinton) being honored, tonight's elite gathering could turn into a Bono-fied party.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
