To commemorate the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, Saddleback Church Pastor and AIDS advocate Rick Warren held the first Civil Forum on Global Health in Washington, DC, where he presented President George W. Bush with the International Medal of Peace for his President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), CNN reports. Since its launch in 2003, PEPFAR has provided lifesaving antiretroviral medication to more than 2 million people living with HIV/AIDS around the world, most of them in Africa.

At the forum, world leaders such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and President-Elect Barack Obama applauded Bush via taped remarks for his commitment to fighting AIDS in the developing world.

“I salute President Bush for his leadership in crafting a plan for AIDS relief in Africa and backing it up with funding dedicated to saving lives and preventing the spread of the disease,” Obama said, adding that he promised to continue efforts “to address the crisis around the world.”