10 NOVEMBER ATATÜRK COMMEMORATION CEREMONY HELD BY THE SUPREME COUNCIL

On the occasion of the 87th anniversary of the passing of the founder of our Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, our Supreme Council organized the 10 November Atatürk Commemoration Ceremony at the new campus of the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language, and History, with the attendance of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, other ministers, and members of the state protocol.

The ceremony began with a moment of silence followed by the singing of the National Anthem. Subsequently, a video presentation prepared by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) on the Atatürk House in Thessaloniki, where Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born and spent his childhood, was shown.

The protocol speeches were delivered by our President Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, and Supreme Council President H.E Prof. Dr. Derya Örs.

In his speech, President Erdoğan paid tribute to the founder of the Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, on the 87th anniversary of his passing, and expressed gratitude to all members of the Gazi Assembly who led the War of Independence and established the new state, which stands as a symbol of the nation’s honor.

Erdoğan extended his prayers to the martyrs who gave their lives throughout a thousand years of history, from the Battle of Malazgirt to the Conquest of Istanbul, from the Çanakkale Epic to the resistance of 15 July, and expressed his gratitude to all veterans. He also thanked everyone who has worked tirelessly for the development, progress, and growth of the country during the 102 years since the proclamation of the Republic.

President Erdoğan noted that the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language, and History, which moved to its new campus last year, continues its work successfully through its four long-established organizations. He stated that the Council has made highly valuable contributions both culturally and academically, domestically and internationally, in the fields of culture, language, and history.

Erdoğan emphasized the importance of taking a more proactive approach in preserving and developing the Turkish language and congratulated, on behalf of the Council, its President Prof. Dr. Derya Örs and all its members for their services. He added that they will continue to support their beneficial work for the country and the nation in the same manner going forward.

Recalling that the first President of the state and Commander-in-Chief of the War of Independence, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, laid the foundations of an independent, modern, and new Turkey through a struggle full of challenges and obstacles, Erdoğan highlighted that Atatürk not only achieved military successes on the battlefield but also led transformations in many areas of the new state.

President Erdoğan concluded his speech by once again respectfully commemorating Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on the 87th anniversary of his passing and praying for all martyrs and veterans who made Anatolia a homeland with their blood and lives.

In his speech, our Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, emphasized that 10 November is not merely a day of remembrance, stating: “We once again reaffirm our commitment to Atatürk’s ideas and the unique legacy he left to us.”

Describing Atatürk as “the commander and visionary leader who changed the fate of the nation,” Ersoy recalled that following the War of Independence, fought under impossible conditions, the foundations of the modern Republic of Türkiye were laid. He added, “We feel the sorrow of bidding farewell 87 years ago to the leader who, in the most difficult days of history, transformed despair into resistance and resistance into victory, and thereby changed the destiny of a nation.”

Continuing his speech, Ersoy announced that the Atatürk House in Thessaloniki, where Atatürk was born, has been reopened to visitors after a comprehensive restoration process. He noted that the restoration was carried out by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and that the reopening took place the day before.

Concluding his speech, the Minister said, “I commemorate Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk with respect, gratitude, and mercy. His ideas continue to illuminate our path today and will guide us into the future.”

In his speech, H.E Prof. Dr. Derya Örs emphasized that the Republic is not merely a form of government, but also a profound revolution in mindset. “The Republic is the guarantee of generations free in thought, conscience, and knowledge,” Örs stated, noting that Atatürk’s greatest legacy is a democratic state structure based on the will of the people, carrying both freedom and responsibility together.

Highlighting the achievements the Republic has reached in its 102-year history, Örs pointed out that Türkiye has become a globally influential country in many fields, ranging from education and defense industry to diplomacy and culture.

Another important topic of her speech was the Atatürk International Peace Award. Örs reminded that the 2025 award will be presented by the President to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and congratulated him for his contributions to world peace.

Örs concluded her speech by underlining that it is a shared responsibility to build a freer, fairer, and more prosperous Türkiye in the Republic’s second century.