President Shimon Peres will fly on Saturday night to Washington, DC, where US President Barack Obama will bestow upon him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.
Peres will be honored in a ceremony apart from other recipients of the medal for 2012, including Bob Dylan, Madeleine Albright, Toni Morrison and former senator and astronaut John Glenn, who were honored on May 29th.
Peres, in turn, will give Obama a rare collection of documents from the period of Israel’s inception, including a letter from Chaim Weizmann to then-president Truman, Israel Radio reported.
The first lady, Michelle Obama, will receive a unique ornament created by disabled artisans. The piece integrates turquoise stones from Eilat with gold thread.
Previous heads of state to receive the Medal of Freedom include Angela Merkel (2011), Tony Blair (2009) and Nelson Mandela (2002).
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The ceremony will be held in the White House on Wednesday.
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