10.06.2025 20:03
The founders of Biontech, which developed the COVID-19 vaccine, Prof. Dr. Özlem Türeci and Prof. Dr. Uğur Şahin, were honored with the National Award of Germany. The award was presented to Türeci and Şahin by the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The German National Award, organized by the German National Foundation since 1997, was awarded this year to Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin, the founders of the biotechnology company Biontech.
GERMAN NATIONAL AWARD FOR ÖZLEM TÜRECİ AND UĞUR ŞAHİN
The ceremony held at the French Friedrichstadt Church in Berlin was attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, former Constitutional Court President Andreas Vosskuhle, and many guests. In his speech here, Chancellor Merz stated that Robert Koch, Rudolf Wirth, Emil von Wehen, Alexander Fleckinger, Gerti Kuhn, and Karl Hirsch are significant figures in German history in the field of health, and that Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci have now joined this list.
RECEIVED FROM CHANCELLOR MERZ
Merz expressed that Şahin and Türeci were awarded the "2025 German National Award" as pioneers of modern medicine, stating, "We honor your courageous progress towards constant uncertainty." He noted that it normally takes an average of eight years to develop a vaccine, highlighting that developing the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, which the whole world was waiting for, in less than a year is a record.
Merz emphasized that Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci demonstrate what citizens of immigrant backgrounds can achieve, stating, "Both are children of Turkish immigrants. Türeci's father works in a small local hospital. Şahin's father was one of the guest workers who came to Germany in the 60s and 70s and made significant contributions to the prosperity of our country, working at the Ford factory in Cologne." he said.
"WE NEED SKILLED IMMIGRANTS"
Pointing out that the first generation of guest workers who came to Germany has received very little recognition to date, Merz mentioned that Uğur Şahin referred to the first Turkish immigrant generation as the "overlooked generation," and that this is an approach that should not be forgotten.
Merz stated that they would support talents regardless of social or ethnic backgrounds, saying, "We need skilled immigrants as a motor for progress. Ideologies that question this are endangering the future of our liberal order with their narrow-mindedness." Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci also thanked for the award in their speeches.
The German National Foundation has honored individuals and organizations working for a democratic society with the German National Award every year since 1997. The total value of the award was announced as 50,000 euros. The independent and non-profit German National Foundation, which has no political party affiliation, was established in 1993 by former Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and his friends.