• Josep Baselga, Manel Esteller, Joan Massagué will be the co-recipients of the 28th edition of the Premi Internacional Catalunya
President Puigdemont
President Puigdemont during the announcement of the 2016 PIC winners
Today, the President of the Catalan Government announced that oncologists Josep Baselga, Manel Esteller and Joan Massagué will be awarded the 28th Premi Internacional Catalunya “for their revolutionary work in cancer research”, which, according to the President, “has significantly contributed to biomedical progress across the world”.
 
The President announced the names of this year’s winners during a press conference held at the Palau de la Generalitat alongside Doctor Anna Veiga, who spoke on behalf of the jury. During the press conference, Puigdemont affirmed that the award “which has a vocation of service, acknowledges the excellence and contribution in the improvement of humankind”. In this regard, the aforementioned oncologists have “contributed in a crucial manner to the fight against diseases that are among the first causes of mortality”.
 
Carles Puigdemont congratulated this year’s winners and explained that this was the first time the prize was being awarded to three separate individuals from Catalonia. In this respect, however, the President noted that the prize is not being granted to them “because of where they are from, but because of their important contribution to the world”. “In Catalonia we are set on building a new country that is included in world affairs, and we want to do so with this same disposition of contributing to humanity”, he added.
 
The distinction will be formally awarded by the President of the Catalan Government on October 25th 2016 at a special ceremony held at the Palau de la Generalitat.
 
Premi Internacional Catalunya
 
The Premi Internacional Catalunya (Catalunya International Prize) is awarded annually by the Government of Catalonia to distinguish those whom have made a significant contribution to the development of cultural, scientific, or human values around the world.  Past recipients of the award include Aung San Suu Kyi, Jimmy Carter, Karl Popper, Jacques Delors, Amartya Sen, Malala Yousafzai, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and, more recently, British Primatologist Jane Goodall.
 
This year’s edition included a selection of 138 candidates from 57 countries put forward by 246 institutions and by the members of the jury.