King Centre to honour Bono's humanitarian work

U2 lead singer Bono will be recognised for his humanitarian work at an awards dinner hosted by the family of civil rights leader the Rev Martin Luther King.

The rock band’s lead singer will be honoured at the 2004 King Centre Salute to Greatness awards dinner on January 17 in Atlanta.

“We are fortunate this year to honour Bono for exemplifying many of the qualities that my husband, Martin, indicated were imperative to moving our society into the beloved community of which he so often spoke,” said Coretta Scott King, King’s widow and the founder of the King Centre.

Mrs King highlighted Bono’s work on behalf of Third World debt relief and on focusing attention on the Aids crisis in Africa.

“He has focused mass public attention on the world’s poorest continent and lobbied politicians around the globe to take action,” she said in a statement.

On Saturday, Bono participated in a World Aids Day concert hosted by Nelson Mandela in Cape Town, South Africa.