Türkiye celebrates 101st anniversary of Republic Day

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye on Tuesday celebrated the 101st anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic.

“With the love and trust of our nation, under the sun of the Republic, which Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk referred to as his 'greatest work,' and in the shadow of our red flag, we are advancing with firm steps into the future, empowered by indigenous and national technologies while standing among the world's esteemed armies, at the service of the Turkish nation,” said the National Defense Ministry.

“Happy Republic Day on October 29, with love for our homeland, nation, and flag. Long live the Republic of Türkiye!," the statement added.

Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said on X: “We are happy to celebrate the 101st anniversary of our Republic with the pride and excitement of the first day.”

“October 29 is the day when this beloved nation declared to the world its passion for independence and its will to live freely,” he stated, adding: “Our nation, which preserved its existence in the midst of deprivation and impossibilities, reborn from the ashes and resolutely established the Republic.”

“Our Republic, which has taken root like a century-old plane tree, has overcome many difficulties and reached this day,” the official said.

“On the 101st anniversary of our Republic, with the goal of the Century of Türkiye, we are moving forward with more confident steps into the future with the strength we derive from our past, and we are working with all our might to carry our country to a brighter future,” he stressed.

“Until now, every threat to our unity, brotherhood and love for our country has failed against the steel will of our nation, and is doomed to fail from now on as well,” Yilmaz emphasized, noting: “On this occasion, I remember Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the heroes of our War of Independence, and our beloved martyrs with mercy and gratitude.”

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also congratulated Turkish citizens both in Türkiye and all over the world on Republic Day.

“We are determined to carry the Republic we inherited, even further on the world stage with the spirit of independence and our national foreign policy vision,” he said on X.

“On this meaningful day, I remember with mercy and gratitude the founder of our Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and all the heroes of our War of Independence,” the minister added.

First lady Emine Erdogan said on X: “We are proud to carry the flag #CenturyofTürkiye we inherited from our heroic ancestors into the future.”

“I hope that we will be able to continue our successes, which are a sign of our country's strength and power, with the same faith and determination for many centuries to come,” she stated, adding: “I wish our unity and solidarity to be permanent, and I remember all our independence heroes, especially the founder of our Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, with mercy and gratitude.”