Pope Francis awarded medals Sunday to American actors Richard Gere and George Clooney, and actress Salma Hayek.
The awards were presented at an event held at the Vatican to promote the work of a foundation inspired by the pontiff.
Clooney attended the event with his wife Amal, a lawyer.
The foundation, whose name means “schools that meet” in Spanish, links technology with the arts, aiming at social integration and a culture of peace.
Francis had created a similar organization when he was cardinal in Buenos Aires, but it now has become an international foundation working out of the Vatican.
The actors were honored for their work as ambassadors for one of the foundation’s arts projects.
The pope was also addressed by a group of YouTube creators from different parts of the world who asked him how to construct a better world.