The biennial Tang Prize Week officially launched today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Tang Prize Foundation CEO Dr. Jenn-Chuan Chern, Academician Wen-Chang Chang, Chair of the Tang Prize Selection Committee for Biopharmaceutical Science, and Deputy Director Chang Huey-Ju of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Management Office presided over the opening, marking the formal start of 2026 Tang Prize Week.
The Tang Prize Exhibition, the first event on this year's calendar, is now open to the public in the Central Corridor of the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. Admission is free, and the exhibition runs for two months. From September 18 to 23, a full slate of Tang Prize Week events (including the Award Ceremony, Banquet, Laureate Lectures, Master's Forums, and Youth Symposia) will welcome the six 2026 Tang Prize Laureates to Taiwan. The Award Ceremony will be livestreamed in its entirety on the Tang Prize YouTube channel.
Foundation Carries Forward Founder's Vision
Dr. Chern noted that Founder Dr. Samuel Yen-Liang Yin established the Tang Prize in 2012 with the goal of advancing sustainable development by honoring outstanding research and civic engagement. The Foundation remains committed to upholding that founding vision through a rigorous selection process and a robust educational mission.
This September marks the first Tang Prize Week since Dr. Yin's passing. With all six 2026 Laureates convening in Taiwan, the week creates rare opportunities for direct exchange between leading international scholars and Taiwan's industry, government, and academic communities. "Tang Prize Week gives the world an opportunity to see Taiwan, and enables Taiwan to make an impact on the world," Dr. Chern said. The Laureate Lectures, scheduled for September 19 at Taipei Bioinnovation Park, will offer the public an exceptional opportunity to hear laureates from all four Tang Prize disciplines present a lifetime of research and personal wisdom in a single day. Registration is available through the Tang Prize website.
Memorial Hall Marks Over A Decade Of Partnership
Deputy Director Chang Huey-Ju expressed pride in the Memorial Hall's continued partnership with the Tang Prize Foundation. A diverse cultural venue that draws millions of visitors from Taiwan and around the world each year, the Memorial Hall has served as the Tang Prize Exhibition's home venue since the inaugural edition in 2014. Cumulative attendance across all editions has now reached 2.9 million. "The Memorial Hall will continue to serve as an important cultural platform connecting Taiwan with the world," Deputy Director Chang said.
Events Span Taipei, Kaohsiung, And Beyond
This year's Tang Prize Week extends well beyond Taipei. On September 21, the Foundation will present Tang Prize Biopharmaceutical Science Day in Taipei, where laureates Steven A. Rosenberg, Michel Sadelain, and Carl H. June will jointly participate in a Master's Forum at Conference Hall 201, NTUH International Convention Center. Sadelain and June will also attend Youth Symposia at the Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University and Taipei Medical University, respectively.
On September 22, Sustainable Development laureate Professor Susan Solomon will lead Tang Prize Susan Solomon Sustainability Day in Kaohsiung, participating in a Master's Forum at National Sun Yat-sen University and meeting high school students at the National Science and Technology Museum. Participating schools include Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior High School, Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Girls' Senior High School, National Tainan First Senior High School, National Chiayi Senior High School, and National Chia-Yi Girls' Senior High School, making this a landmark event for southern Taiwan.
In addition, Sinology laureate Ge Zhaoguang will hold a Master's Forum at National Taiwan Normal University, and Rule of Law laureate Bruce Ackerman will hold one at National Taiwan University.
Exhibition Debuts Digital Knowledge Hub, Expands To Taichung
Themed "Illuminating the World Through Knowledge," this year's Tang Prize Exhibition introduces the digital Tang Prize Knowledge Hub for the first time, bringing together the contributions and wisdom of laureates from all seven editions of the prize. The exhibition also expands to Taichung for the first time, adding the National Library of Public Information as a new venue and deepening the Foundation's collaboration with Taiwan's library system. Knowledge Hub kiosks will be integrated with library collections to help young visitors discover books and other works by Tang Prize Laureates.
After its two-month run at the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the exhibition will travel to the National Science and Technology Museum in Kaohsiung on November 6 for a two-year run, followed by an opening at the National Library of Public Information in Taichung on December 10 for one year.
The exhibition is organized around the curatorial concept of "Islands of Wisdom" and features five themed zones: Core, Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology, and Rule of Law. Highlights include profiles of all 2026 laureates; a commemorative section honoring Founder Dr. Yin; more than 30 pieces of memorabilia donated by laureates; 36 books authored by laureates; and an interactive digital co-creation wall inviting visitors to engage with laureate quotations and leave their own messages. Admission is free and open to the public.
About The Tang Prize
Dr. Samuel Yin established the Tang Prize in December 2012 in response to the defining challenges of the globalized era, among them climate change, emerging infectious diseases, widening inequality, and moral degradation. The prize comprises four categories: Sustainable Development, Biopharmaceutical Science, Sinology, and Rule of Law. Every two years, four independent selection committees (composed of internationally renowned experts, scholars, and Nobel laureates) identify recipients who have made substantive, far-reaching contributions to their fields, without regard to race, nationality, gender, or religion. Each category carries a total prize of NT$50 million (approximately US$1.6 million), including a NT$10 million (approximately US$320,000) research or educational outreach grant, designed to encourage professionals across disciplines to address humanity's most urgent needs and drive sustainable development through outstanding research and active civic engagement. （Related： 2026 Tang Prize in Sinology Awarded to Ge Zhaoguang ｜ Latest ）
