Annie Lennox receives prestigious award for HIV activism
Singer Annie Lennox has been awarded a prestigious medal for her activism on HIV/AIDS.
The Eurythmics legend was previously awarded an OBE in 2010, for her consistent activism on the issue of HIV/AIDS and sexual health across the world.
She was honoured again at a ceremony this weekend, becoming the latest recipient of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s Livingstone Medal, in recognition of “outstanding public service” on HIV/AIDS.
Past recipients of the medal include nature presenter David Attenborough, first man on the moon Neil Armstrong, and Everest climber Sir Edmund Hillary.
Lennox said: “I’m truly honoured to receive such a significant and historical award as the Livingstone Medal.
“There have been numerous social and medical transformations since David Livingstone’s lifetime, yet there is still so much more to do before we can see the end of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which has ravaged the lives of millions of men, women and children across every region of Sub Saharan Africa.
“My contribution has been small, but my dream would be to see the end of AIDS in the not too distant future.”
Mike Robinson of RSGS said: “Our medal nomination process is open to the public but it is unusual to see a name put forward as often as Annie Lennox’s.
“We are very happy to be able to recognise the outstanding contribution that Annie has made championing critical global issues over the past three decades, in particular in raising awareness of the plight of those suffering HIV/AIDS and of those living in the world’s most vulnerable areas.”
Speaking about sexuality in the past, Lennox argued that the word “gay” is irrelevant because it should be “nobody’s effing business.”
