Obama presents final Medal of Freedom honours
US President Barack Obama awarded the 2016 Presidential Medal of Freedom - the highest civilian honour in the United States - to 21 key figures at a star-studded ceremony at the White House on Tuesday.
Obama presented the prestigious medal to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda for philanthropic work, former basketball players Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and actors Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro and Robert Redford.
"It's useful when you think about this incredible collection of people to realize that this is what makes us the greatest nation on earth," Obama said.
Just keep swimmin'! @POTUS presents @TheEllenShow & 21 others with the #MedalofFreedom. #VideoOfTheDay (via @ABC) https://t.co/fY1m0NTwVh
— Twitter Video (@video) November 23, 2016
The medal is given annually to those who have made outstanding contributions to the national interests of the United States, to security, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavours.
Barack Obama honours Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres, Michael Jordan with 'Medal of Freedom' https://t.co/mMLJcBhlGd pic.twitter.com/nW4WKQkInO
— DNA (@dna) November 23, 2016
Other recipients this year were rock star Bruce Springsteen, soul singer Diana Ross, Native American community leader Elouise Cobell and NASA moon landing computer scientist Margaret H. Hamilton.
The new Medal of Freedom recipients "have helped make me who I am and think about my presidency," Obama said https://t.co/7GsR0gzHU1 pic.twitter.com/3gBOvGrZR0
— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) November 23, 2016
TV talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, who was also awarded the medal, conducted a "mannequin challenge", a video that features people frozen in place, with the recipients.
Obama leaves office in January after eight years, with Republican businessman Donald Trump taking charge.
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