From 2004 to 2009 Cem Özdemir was a member of the European Parliament (Greens/EFA). He was a foreign policy spokesperson and vice-president of the CIA's Special Income ('Temporary Committee on the alleged use of European countries by the CIA for the transportation and illegal detention of prisoners').
In his books Currywurst und Döner - Integration in Deutschland and his autobiography Ich bin ein Inländer reflects his multicultural experiences in Germany. In 2008 his book Die Türkei. Politik. Religion, Kultur was published.
For his contribution to society he has been appointed to 'Global Leader for Tomorrow' by the World Economic Forum in 2002. In 1996 he received the Theodor Heuss Medal and the Civis Media Prize for his commitment to a prejudice-free coexistence of Germans and immigrants. In 2009 he was awarded with the Turkish Tunceli University honorary doctorate for his commitment to the understanding of cultures.
Cem Özdemir is a member of the Political Council of the Federal Association of SME (BVMW) and a founding member of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). His memberships on advisory boards also include the Berlin office of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), the START Program of the Hertie Foundation and the Hrant Dink Foundation. He is one of the trustees at the German-Turkish Forum Stuttgart eV and the Theodor-Heuss-Foundation.
