30.11.2025 10:25
The Science Dissemination Awards Program witnessed warm and emotional moments on stage between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his son Bilal Erdoğan. Following the protocol, Bilal Erdoğan took the stage with a formal stance to present a gift and first shook his father's hand. After the gift presentation, following a brief dialogue between father and son, Bilal Erdoğan kissed President Erdoğan's hand.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan experienced a notable father-son dialogue on stage after his speech at the Ilim Yayma Awards Program held at the Atatürk Cultural Center.
FIRST HE SHOOK HANDS WITH HIS FATHER, THEN KISSED HIS HAND
Bilal Erdoğan, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, was invited to the stage for the presentation of gifts in memory of the day. Following protocol, he approached his father with a formal stance.
Bilal Erdoğan first shook hands with President Erdoğan and then leaned in to whisper a few words in his ear. After this brief dialogue, both individuals smiled. Bilal Erdoğan kissing his father's hand afterwards created an emotional and sincere atmosphere in the hall.
This warm moment, recorded as one of the most striking moments of the program, was closely followed by the audience.
ILIM YAYMA AWARDS WERE HELD
The Ilim Yayma Awards 2025 were held at the Atatürk Cultural Center with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The event, organized under the motto "Turkey's Academy Award," continued after the recitation of the Quran with the screening of a promotional film about the story of the Ilim Yayma Awards and the performance of the piece "Miracle," specially prepared for the award night by composer Rahman Altın.
Necmeddin Bilal Erdoğan, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, stated in his speech at the ceremony that the Ilim Yayma Society, established in 1951, took the first step to revive the scientific and intellectual heritage of these lands, and that this journey deepened, expanded, and entered a new phase with the establishment of the foundation in 1973.
"IT IS A VERY NECESSARY MOVE TO REACH THE GOALS OF THE TURKISH CENTURY"
Erdoğan noted that everyone who has devoted their hearts to this cause over the years has pursued the ideal of spreading knowledge, and he stated:
"With our dormitories, scholarships, and cultural and educational activities, we have been the carriers of this ideal. Our Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University is the fruit of this long journey and has further broadened our scientific horizon. In 2017, we held a consultation with our academicians who graduated from our foundation. We aimed to increase the voluntariness of scientific studies produced in Turkey, encourage our valuable academicians, and establish a system that would serve as an example for young people. Thus, the Ilim Yayma Awards, which have now become Turkey's most prestigious academic award and one of the few unique academic awards in the world, were born."
Erdoğan stated that the Ilim Yayma Awards are the largest academic award in Turkey both in terms of quantity and systematically, and that they have become one of the notable and unique academic awards in the world.
Expressing that they wanted a scientific movement born from these lands to transform into a global award contributing to humanity's common heritage, Erdoğan said, "Inshallah, in 2027, the Ilim Yayma Awards will turn into an internationally recognized award program that is referred to in the scientific world, with applications from academicians from different countries. This step is a strong move to support works that benefit not only Turkey but all of humanity, and it is certainly a very necessary move to reach the goals of the Turkish Century."
"THE BARBARITY IN GAZA IS ONE OF THE GREAT HUMANITY SHAMES OF OUR TIME"
Emphasizing that science exists to sustain humanity, protect truth, and strengthen justice, Erdoğan continued his speech:
"Today, we painfully watch as an entire people's memory and future are being attempted to be erased in Gaza, right before humanity's eyes. This barbarity, which targets children, civilians, scholars, and even books, is one of the greatest shames of humanity in our time. So, what are those great universities of the world, which have been preaching democracy, human rights, and academic freedom for years, doing? Unfortunately, those massive campuses, once considered the cradle of free thought, have now turned into silence zones and scenes of shame."
"WHAT SCIENTIFIC FREEDOM CAN WE TALK ABOUT IN A PLACE WHERE EVEN GENOCIDE IS NOT DISCUSSED?"
Erdoğan emphasized that academic publications writing about the reality of Gaza have been silenced, stating, "Students who express the truth have their visas canceled or are removed from their positions. Students who oppose Israel's Nazism are disciplined. Their scholarships are cut. They are even handcuffed. The speeches of scholars defending the rights of the oppressed are canceled. I ask you, in a place where even genocide cannot be discussed, what scientific freedom and enlightenment can we talk about?"
Stressing that the Ilim Yayma Awards are not just an award ceremony, Erdoğan said, "Today, we honor our professors who courageously elevate the truth in defiance of those who try to silence science and suppress the truth. On this occasion, I sincerely congratulate our three esteemed scholars who have been deemed worthy of the Ilim Yayma Awards 2025 for their outstanding works."
"WE CONDUCTED THE SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION OF OUR CANDIDATES WITH IMPARTIALITY AND SCIENTIFIC MEASURES"
The Chairman of the Ilim Yayma Awards Committee, Prof.Dr. İdris Sarısoy stated that they conducted a comprehensive and highly effective promotion in 2025 to increase the visibility of the Ilim Yayma Awards in the academic community.
In this context, Sarısoy reported that they met with 134 university rectors, saying, "We sent invitation letters containing the call for applications for the awards electronically and physically to approximately 180,000 academics. As a result of these efforts, the Ilim Yayma Awards reached the highest number in its history in 2025 with a total of 1,324 applications from 174 different universities, including 811 in social sciences, 483 in engineering, natural and health sciences, and 30 for the grand prize."
Sarısoy expressed that these figures are not just statistics but a testament to the trust that the Turkish scientific community has in the Ilim Yayma Awards, adding:
"We conducted the scientific evaluation of our candidates applying for the Ilim Yayma Awards based on impartiality and scientific measurements. In this work, which we completed in 99 days, 29 members of the scientific board, 202 technical experts, 58 scientific referees, and 17 members of the honor board participated. The fundamental mission of the Ilim Yayma Awards is to contribute to the solution of social problems through the scientific knowledge produced. In this context, we also carry out special programs to turn the work of our professors into tangible benefits."
"WE ARE ENCOURAGING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO TURN TO SCIENCE"
Yusuf Tülün, President of the Ilim Yayma Society, emphasized that they continue their path with determination in line with the strong vision of the society's founders.
Stating that they see religion and science, and science and ethics as inseparable elements, Tülün said, "We have established schools, dormitories, and scholarships for the upbringing of hundreds of thousands of talented young people. For 75 years, we have been serving only education in accordance with our founding purpose, supporting our young people and scientists in their overseas education processes. With the Ilim Yayma Awards we conduct with our foundation, we are following our scientists and encouraging our young people to turn to science. We know that our future depends on the efforts of scientists who will respond to global challenges with their faith, knowledge, and ethics, and the existence of our youth who will walk this path."
AWARD RECIPIENTS
After the speeches, the awards were presented to the recipients.
The Ilim Yayma Awards 2025 Social Sciences Award was given to Prof. Dr. Şener Aktürk from Koç University for his work titled "Not So Innocent: Clerics, Monarchs, and the Ethnoreligious Cleansing of Western Europe." The award was presented to Aktürk by the Minister of National Education, Yusuf Tekin.
The 2025 Engineering, Health, and Natural Sciences Award was awarded to Prof. Dr. Barış Bayram from METU for developing a MEMS neuristor structure that makes artificial intelligence applications, smart sensors, and data processing systems faster and more efficient. The award was presented by the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş.
President Erdoğan awarded the Ilim Yayma Awards 2025 Grand Prize to Prof. Dr. Özcan Erel from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University for developing a colorimetric TOS method and measurement kit that is easy to apply, reliable, low-cost, and compatible with automation.
The ceremony concluded after Bilal Erdoğan presented a gift to President Erdoğan and a commemorative photo was taken.
Ministers, and figures from the arts, politics, and science communities attended the ceremony.
.