PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Boxing great Muhammad Ali is the recipient of the 2012 Liberty Medal.
Ali will receive the medal in a ceremony on Sept. 13 in Philadelphia at the National Constitution Center on Independence Mall.
Mayor Michael Nutter and Liberty Medal sponsors made the announcement Thursday.
They say Ali has built a legacy as a “fighter for religious and civil rights, a conscientious objector who took his battle to the Supreme Court and won, an ambassador for peace and justice worldwide, and a tireless humanitarian and philanthropist.”
The Liberty Medal was first given in 1989. Previous recipients include rock singer and human rights activist Bono, former South African President Nelson Mandela and former President Jimmy Carter. Six winners have subsequently received the Nobel Peace Prize.
