Former world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali has been named as the winner of the 2012 Liberty Medal.
Ali will receive the medal, awarded for leadership in pursuit of liberty, in a ceremony at the National Constitution Centre in Independence Mall, Philadelphia, on September 13.
Mayor Michael Nutter and Liberty Medal sponsors made the announcement.
They said 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 awarded in 1989. Previous recipients include rock singer and human rights activist Bono, former South African President Nelson Mandela and former US President Jimmy Carter. Six winners have subsequently received the Nobel Peace prize.
