Budapest mural pays tribute to Katalin Kariko, Hungarian-born pioneer behind COVID-19 vaccine
Record ID:
1634035
Budapest mural pays tribute to Katalin Kariko, Hungarian-born pioneer behind COVID-19 vaccine
- Title: Budapest mural pays tribute to Katalin Kariko, Hungarian-born pioneer behind COVID-19 vaccine
- Date: 28th August 2021
- Summary: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (AUGUST 28, 2021) (REUTERS) FIREWALL ACROSS STREET WITH MURAL OF KATALIN KARIKO VARIOUS OF MURAL OF KARIKO VARIOUS OF CRANE GOING UP TO WALL PAINT BRUSHES IN PAINT BOX PAINTER PAINTING MURAL PORTRAIT FOF KARIKO IN PAINTER'S HAND PAINTER PAINTING MURAL (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) FOUNDER OF BRAINBAR, GERGELY BOSZORMENYI-NAGY, SAYING: "Katalin Kariko is a true Hungarian role model, who has given an example not just by helping to develop the vaccine, - in fact without her there would be no vaccine -- but also in proving for the young generation of Hungarians that as a Hungarian it is possible to achieve a very positive effect in the world, and have a real say in improving things. She is a great example and I think the more people get to know her the better. And this size will perhaps help to bring her story closer to even more people." VARIOUS OF PAINTER PAINTING TIMELAPSE SHOT OF PAINTING (MUTE) (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) CHIEF SECRETARY OF COLOURFUL CITY ORGANISATION, PETER FLOR, SAYING: "The original aim was to paint a mural of Katalin Kariko which is not a classic, realistic portrait but designed more in a playful, cartoon style." VARIOUS OF PAINTING (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) RESIDENT IN BUILDING NEXT TO WALL, EMILIA KOZMA, SAYING: "I like this. She is a fantastic character who has made huge achievements, we hope for this she will receive the highest award, the Nobel prize. We are very proud of her." PAINTER ON CRANE PAINTING HAIR (SOUNDBITE) (Hungarian) LOCAL RESIDENT, MARTA CSEKE, SAYING: "We love Katalin Kariko. It is a really good idea that we display Hungarians not just after their death. The painting is cheerful, it is a wonderful work but there is only one problem with it: if it is still here two years later when we will really want to forget the COVID then it will still remind us of it. This is the only problem, but at the same time of course COVID lives on within us anyway." PEOPLE WALKING IN STREET BY MURAL
- Embargoed: 11th September 2021 17:44
- Keywords: COVID-19 Hungary Katalin Kariko mural vaccine
- Location: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- City: BUDAPEST, HUNGARY
- Country: Hungary
- Topics: Europe,Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001ES71HYX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Katalin Kariko, the Hungarian-born scientist who laid the groundwork for the mRNA vaccines fighting COVID-19, has been recognised in her homeland in the form of a huge mural in central Budapest.
The city's urban designers created the portrait of Kariko, senior vice president at German company BioNTech which with Pfizer developed one of the most effective coronavirus jabs, to pay tribute to her scientific endeavours.
After 12 days of work, a painter was putting the finishing touches to her lips on the portrait on Saturday (August 28) afternoon. By Monday (August 30) a slogan will be added too: "The future is written by Hungarians".
"Katalin Kariko is a true Hungarian role model, who is an example not just by helping to develop the vaccine ... but also by proving to the young generation of Hungarians that as a Hungarian it is possible to achieve a very positive effect in the world," said Gergely Boszormenyi-Nagy, founder of the company Brain Bar, who came up with the idea of a mural.
Kariko reacted to her portrait in a tweet saying "It was a surprise, a big surprise."
Budapest residents were happy to see her smiling face on the wall of a residential building in a leafy part of the city.
"She is a fantastic character who has made huge achievements, we hope for this she will receive the highest award, the Nobel prize. We are very proud of her," Emilia Kozma said.
(Production: Kriszta Fenyo, Pari Zemaryalai, Angie Ramos) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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