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BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - MAY 21 - RESTRICTION: USERS MUST CREDIT “ORGANIZATION OF TURKIC STATES” HANDOUT - EDITORIAL USE ONLY: Nobel laureate and Turkish biologist Aziz Sancar has been presented with the Ali-Shir Nava'i International Prize at the Informal Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) in Budapest, Hungary on Wednesday, May 21. The award was presented to Sancar by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to scientific research across the Turkic world. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban also joined the ceremony on stage, congratulating Sancar for his achievements. Sancar made history as the first Turkish scientist to win the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2015. The Budapest summit follows recent high-level engagements within the OTS, including an informal summit in Shusha on July 5–6, 2024 and the 11th summit in Bishkek on Nov. 6, 2024, where leaders reiterated their commitment to deeper solidarity and collaboration across the Turkic world. Türkiye, alongside Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, is a member state of the OTS, while Hungary, alongside Turkmenistan and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, is an observer state of the organization. (Footage by Organization of Turkic States/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)