Defense Secretary Gates awarded Liberty Medal

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will receive the 2011 Liberty Medal, officials announced this morning at the National Constitution Center.

Gates has led the Pentagon since 2006 and is retiring at the end of the month, having served both Republican and Democratic administrations.

The medal goes to men, women and organizations who strive to secure freedom for people around the world. Previous winners include Nelson Mandela, Thurgood Marshall and Bono.

This year's award ceremony will be televised on 6ABC at 7 p.m. Sept. 22, from the Constitution Center.

Mayor Nutter joined center president David Eisner in making the annoucement.

Gates was praised as "a widely respected leader who has built a legacy of defending freedom, promoting effective diplomacy and supporting American troops around the world," according to a news release.

Last year, the honor went to British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The prize was created by a group called We the People 2000 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the U.S Constitution in 1988.

The first Liberty Medal was awarded in 1989 to Lech Walesa, the labor leader who bravely pushed for reforms in Poland.

The Constitution Center has hosted the presentation since 2003, when the award went to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. A few years ago, the center took over the selection process as well.

Six recipients later won the Nobel Peace Prize, according to the center's Web site, www.constitutioncenter.org.

Past winners

2010: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair

2009: Film producer Steven Spielberg

2008: Former Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

2007: U2 lead singer Bono and his advocacy organization Debt AIDS Trade Africa (DATA).

2006: Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

2005: Ukrainian President Viktor A. Yushchenko.

2004: Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

2003: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

2002: Secretary of State Colin L. Powell.

2001: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

2000: Scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick.

1999: South Korean President Kim Dae Jung.

1998: Former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell.

1997: CNN International.

1996: Former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres and King Hussein of Jordan.

1995: Sadako Ogata, U.N. high commissioner for refugees.

1994: Czech President Vaclav Havel.

1993: South Africa leaders F.W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela.

1992: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

1991: Former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias and Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders).

1990: Former President Jimmy Carter.

1989: Polish President Lech Walesa