Washington, Aug 13 (DPA) US President Barack Obama bestowed the highest US civilian honour to Archbishop Desmond Tutu and US Senator Edward Kennedy and 14 others at the White House Wednesday.

'Let them stand as an example here in the US and around the world of what we can achieve in our lives,' Obama said during a ceremony to hand out the Medal of Freedom.

Obama honoured South Africa's Tutu for his life-long stand against apartheid, British physicist Stephen Hawking for his advancements, as well as Billie Jean King, the tennis star who forever altered the role of woman in sports, and African American actor Sidney Poitier.

'The men and women we honor today have led very different lives and assumed many different careers,' Obama said.

The other recipients included micro-banking founder Mohammed Yunus; Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland; and Sandra Day O'Connor, the former US Supreme Court justice who became the first woman to serve on the bench.

More than 20,000 people have been awarded the Medal of Freedom since it was created by former president Harry Truman in 1945.