Copyright Agnès DHERBEYS/MYOP
Copyright Agnès DHERBEYS/MYOPOn Friday, Elton John received France’s highest award, the Legion of Honor, from French president Emmanuel Macron.
Elton was given the honor during a visit to the presidential Elysee Palace in Paris, during the country’s annual music festival. Before the ceremony, Elton and Macron spoke about the replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which puts resources toward helping to abolish those three diseases.
In remarks after the ceremony, Elton told the crowd, who also had gathered for the start of the music fest, “It is humbling indeed to receive such an honor…to receive it on this day is even more special.”
John also discussed France’s continued support for the Global Fund, which works with the Elton John AIDS Foundation toward eradicating the disease around the world.
“When I started my Foundation back in 1993, we would have been overjoyed to save just one life,” Elton said. “The thought that by combining all our efforts we could actually halve AIDS deaths globally is the most wonderful prospect imaginable. This is why I feel strongly about replenishment of the Global Fund. We will all do as much as we possibly can with what we have but we cannot work miracles.”
Elton played two shows in France earler this week and will play two more this weekend, in Bordeaux on Saturday and Nimes on Sunday.
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