On March 6, Fabiola Terzi, Director of the Institut Necker Enfants Malades, was awarded the Légion d'honneur by Gérard Friedlander.

During the ceremony, she shared a personal and committed reflection on her journey and on the values that guide research and scientific collaboration.
🎙️ “It is an immense pride for me to receive this distinction today, even though nothing at the outset destined me for such an honor.
A physician and pediatric nephrologist by training, I came to Paris for a six-month internship…
Thirty years later, I am still here.”

She also emphasized the importance of openness and diversity in research:
🎙️ “First and foremost, I would like to thank the French Republic for welcoming me freely, without ever penalizing me for being a foreigner.
At a time when extremism is gaining ground in many regions of the world — including in France — it seems essential to me to recall how precious and necessary it is to defend this freedom to welcome foreigners.
I am deeply convinced that the mixing of cultures is a strength for a country, never a weakness. We must not be afraid of difference.
This is also why I am proud to lead an institute where one third of the researchers are foreign nationals, coming from forty-four countries, and where nearly 40% of the team leaders have international backgrounds.”

Finally, she highlighted the collective dimension of this recognition:
🎙️ “This distinction celebrates a journey, but above all it reminds me of one simple thing: nothing is built alone.
So thank you to all of you who contributed to it.”

👏 The entire community of the Institut Necker Enfants Malades warmly congratulates Fabiola Terzi on this distinction, which honors her career and her commitment to research and scientific openness.

NB: quotes translated from French