The 28th Aydın Doğan Award Presented to Prof. Dr. Ioanna Kuçuradi

Presented annually by the Aydın Doğan Foundation to individuals and institutions that leave a lasting mark on public life in fields as culture, arts, literature, and science, this year’s award ceremony was held on the evening of 2 December 2024 at the Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus.

Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ: “It Is a Great Privilege to Live in the Same Era as Ioanna Kuçuradi”

Speaking at the ceremony, Aydın Doğan Foundation President Arzuhan Doğan Yalçındağ highlighted Prof. Dr. Kuçuradi’s transformative contributions to the development of philosophy education and research in Türkiye, her pioneering work in the field of human rights, and her distinguished representation of the country on international platforms as holder of the UNESCO Chair in Philosophy and Human Rights. In her remarks, Doğan Yalçındağ stated:

“This evening, we are proud and honored to present the 28th Aydın Doğan Award. It is bestowed upon a true educator and a ‘teacher of teachers’ whose life and work perfectly embody the award’s purpose, criteria, and vision: Prof. Dr. Ioanna Kuçuradi. As her friends describe her, she is the Antigone of our time — outspoken yet never indulgent in unnecessary words, patient yet unwavering in her principles. I believe it is a great privilege for all of us to have lived in the same era as her.”

Where Music and Philosophy Converged

The 28th Aydın Doğan Award Ceremony welcomed a distinguished audience from the worlds of business, arts, academia, and media.

The evening opened with a mini concert by Zeynep Temel, a recent graduate of Aydın Doğan Fine Arts High School and currently a student in the Opera Department of the Istanbul State Conservatory at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University. The young soprano’s performance received a standing ovation from the audience, setting an inspiring tone for the night where music and philosophy met.

Prof. Dr. İoanna Kuçuradi received her award from Aydın Doğan, Founder and Honorary President of the Aydın Doğan Foundation, and Davut Gül, Governor of Istanbul. In her acceptance speech, Prof. Dr. Kuçuradi expressed her gratitude:

“I extend my sincere thanks to Aydın Doğan, to his Foundation, to its President and Director, to all its staff, and of course to the distinguished members of the award jury for presenting me with this honor. Yet an award is also an expression of gratitude to the recipient — for what they have contributed to our world, for the ways in which they have enriched and eased our lives. In granting an award, one is in effect saying, ‘We recognize the value of what you have done.’ For this reason, I would also like to express my appreciation to Mr. Aydın Doğan, founder of the Foundation that presents this award to those who contribute to the advancement of life in all its dimensions, and to congratulate him. In an era often described as postmodern — one that proclaims, ‘Nothing that is free brings added value,’ and asserts that everything is equivalent — this award stands as a form of resistance. And that resistance contributes to overcoming the sense of hopelessness into which many people fall.”

Later in the evening, acclaimed writer and broadcaster Yekta Kopan held a short conversation with Prof. Dr. İoanna Kuçuradi, exploring her philosophical approach, the meaning of core concepts, and her lifelong commitment to the struggle for human rights.

During the talk, Prof. Dr. Kuçuradi delivered one of the most striking reflections of the night:

“Human rights are not law. Human rights are ethical principles. Because they are ethical principles, the law must be derived from them. If we wish to ensure justice in any matter, the law must be grounded in those principles — and we must remain constantly vigilant in overseeing this process.”

The ceremony concluded with Prof. Dr. Kuçuradi’s resolute words, met with enthusiastic applause from the audience:

“I am persistently hopeful. It is a way of life…”

The Light of Philosophy and Human Rights: Prof. Dr. Ioanna Kuçuradi

Born in Istanbul on 4 October 1936, Prof. Dr. Ioanna Kuçuradi is widely recognized as one of the most distinguished figures in Turkish philosophy. After completing her primary education, she graduated from Zapyon Girls’ High School in 1954. In 1959, she earned her degree from the Department of Philosophy at Istanbul University and received her PhD in 1965.

Following her early academic work at Atatürk University between 1965 and 1968, she joined Hacettepe University in 1968. There, in 1969, she founded the Department of Philosophy, becoming one of the pioneering figures shaping the foundations of philosophical scholarship in Türkiye. She chaired the department until October 2003. Prof. Dr. Kuçuradi also served as Director of the Human Rights and Philosophy Research and Application Center, established in 1997, until March 2005. She was awarded the title of Associate Professor in 1970 and promoted to full Professor in 1978, marking the steady rise of a career devoted to the advancement of philosophy and human rights both nationally and internationally.

Since 1998, Prof. Dr. İoanna Kuçuradi has held the UNESCO Chair in Philosophy and Human Rights, distinguishing herself through her influential work in human rights, ethics, and philosophy at both national and international levels.

In 2006, she was appointed to the Department of Philosophy at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Maltepe University, where she also assumed the roles of Director of the Human Rights Research and Application Center and Head of the Human Rights Division.

Through her internationally published scholarly articles, conference papers, reports, and books, Prof. Dr. Kuçuradi has played a pioneering role in advancing discourse on human rights and ethics, significantly enhancing Türkiye’s visibility within the global philosophy and human rights community.

With the presentation of the 28th Aydın Doğan Award, her profound contributions to Turkish philosophy and to the advancement of human rights have once again been formally recognized — ensuring that her work is inscribed in the history of these fields with enduring distinction.

Previous Honors and Distinctions

Over the course of her distinguished career, Prof. Dr. İoanna Kuçuradi has received numerous prestigious national and international awards in recognition of her pioneering contributions to philosophy, ethics, and human rights. These include:

• Goethe Medal (1996)


• Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy, University of Crete (1996)


• Service Award, Turkish Academy of Sciences (1996)


• Scientific Achievement Award, Hacettepe University (1994–1995 and 1995–1996 Academic Years)


• “75 Women of the Republic” Award, Mimoza Magazine (1998)


• Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy, Ricardo Palma University (2000)


• 1999 Press Freedom Award, Journalists’ Association of Turkey (2000)


• Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (2001)


• Honorary Citizenship of the City of Havana (2002)


• UNESCO Human Rights Education Award, Honorable Mention (2002)


• Mustafa N. Parlar Science Award (2003)


• UNESCO Aristotle Medal (2003)


• Peace, Friendship and Democracy Award, Diyarbakır Medical Chamber (2004)


• Planetary Humanist Philosopher Award, Council for Secular Humanism (2005)


• Troy Folklore Research Association Award (2005)


• “60 Women Who Contributed to 60 Years of UNESCO” (2006)


• One of Istanbul’s “100 Scientists and Intellectuals (500–2000)” (2012)


• Honor Award, Social Ethics Association (2013)


• “Contribution to Human Rights” Award, TED Ankara College Foundation Schools (2013)


• Strategic Vision Award, Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies (2014)


• Crystal Tulip Award in Philosophy, Prof. Dr. Mümtaz Turhan Social Sciences High School (2014)


• Senate Special Award, Middle East Technical University (2015)


• Guest of Honor Author, 35th International Istanbul Book Fair (TÜYAP) (2016)


• Theme (Hope) Award, 21st Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival (2018)


• Selected among Türkiye’s 20 Pioneer Women by the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey (2019 and 2022)


• Lifetime Achievement Award, Forum Istanbul (2019)


• Courageous Women Award, Beykoz University (2019)


• Education Award, Contemporary Education Cooperative (Bursa, 2020)


• High Human Values Award, Üsküdar University (2020)


• Uğur Mumcu Lifetime Achievement Award, Tepebaşı Municipality (Eskişehir) and Contemporary Journalists (2022)


• Betül Mardin Leaders Shaping the Future Award (2022)


• Women Who Make a Difference 2022 Lifetime Honor Award, MediaCat (2022)


• “Contribution to Türkiye’s Imagination” Award, Imagination Center (2022)


• “Republic” Award, Association for the Support of Contemporary Living (2023)


• Honorary Doctorate in Law, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (2023)


• “Leading Woman in Science” Award, Turkish University Women’s Association (2023)


• 91st Language Day Honor Award, Language Association (2023)


• Honor Award, 7th FeminİSTANBUL International Festival (2023)


• Academic Honor Award, 13th International Crime and Punishment Film Festival, Istanbul University (2023)


• “Bright Faces of the Century” Award, Maltepe Municipality Station Magazine (2024)


• “Service Above Self” Award, Rotary Istanbul (2024)


• “Women at the Summit” Award, Üsküdar University (2024)


• “Enlightenment Honor Award,” New Generation Village Institutes (2024)