Posted on Tuesday, August 09 @ 20:42:30 CEST by Macphisto
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LISBON (Reuters) - Portugal said on Tuesday it would award Irish rockers U2 the country's Order of Liberty to honor the band's humanitarian efforts.
President Jorge Sampaio will award the Dublin four -- lead singer Bono, guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. -- before a concert in Lisbon on Sunday.
"Over the last 25 years the band has allied its public exposure gained through musical success with the defense of humanitarian causes and human rights," a presidential spokeswoman said.
Bono was a major figure in the Live Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief 20 years ago and has since campaigned for the world's poor. U2 were also involved in last month's Live 8 concert held to pressure rich nations to alleviate poverty.
