Portugal honored U2

Irish rock band U2 have been awarded Portugal's highest honor for their humanitarian work.

President Jorge Sampaio bestowed the Order of Liberty honor on the group hours before they went on stage for a concert in Lisbon on Sunday.

Singer Bono, guitarist The Edge, bassist Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr all attended the investiture ceremony at the presidential palace.

"It is of course for the four of us a great, great honor," said Bono, informs BBC News.

According to CNN, U2 played at a Live Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief two decades ago, and last month took part in the Live 8 concerts aimed at pressuring leaders of the world's richest nations to increase aid to Africa.

The award ceremony was held at the presidential palace in Lisbon.

More than 50,000 people were expected to attend the concert at a soccer stadium Sunday night, the final European date on the band's Vertigo tour