SANTIAGO: President Ricardo Lagos gave Bono the country’s highest award for the arts on Sunday and told the U2 singer he should learn to play the traditional Andean instrument known as the charango.

The arts medal is named after late Chilean Nobel Prize laureate Pablo Neruda, a poet Bono said he greatly admired. During the ceremony at the La Moneda presidential palace, Lagos also presented Bono with a charango, a small lute-like instrument.

Shortly before the concert, Bono received Amnesty International’s 2005 “Ambassador of Conscience” award, which was also granted to the other members of U2 guitarist The Edge, drummer Larry Mullen, bassist Adam Clayton and manager Paul McGuinness.