Turkey's first private foundation, the Vehbi Koç Foundation, which has been rewarding a person or institution every year in the fields of health, culture and education has now implemented a new award: Outstanding Service For Humanity Award. We brought to life the film explaining the philosophy of the award.
In today's world, where issues are growing like mountains and resources are rapidly depleting, solving problems requires initiatives far beyond well-intentioned initiatives and aid campaigns. More comprehensive and larger organizations and much more efficient and sustainable structures are now required. With this perspective, Vehbi Koç Foundation does not neglect to reward successful institutions and organizations while seeking solutions to current issues.
The Outstanding Service to Humanity Award, designed for individuals and organizations that strive to solve the issues of the age from the perspective of the future, found its first owners at the ceremony held at Koç University on the night of June 25, 2022. The founders of BioNTech, scientists Prof. Dr. Özlem Türeci and Prof. Dr. Uğur Şahin was deemed worthy of the award. Türeci and Şahin accepted the plaque presented to them, but they wanted the 200 thousand dollars prize money to be used for scientific research and students in need.
The world needs people who do not shy away from the struggle when faced with obstacles, who are not afraid to shout out the truth when everyone else is silent, who do not become arrogant when they are applauded, who do not disappear when they are alone, who cross out the wrongs and follow the truth. To people who always pursue the impossible and who inspire future generations not only with their deeds but also with their lives! In other words, “to the few who live for all of us!” No matter how few such people are, they are among us.
Who knows, maybe you are one of them. Then you can be the next recipient of the Outstanding Service to Humanity Award.
