Turkey marks Republic Day

Turkey marks Republic Day

President Erdogan joined by a host of dignitaries

Says July’s coup was defeated due to the nation’s “courage and resistance”







Turkey’s president has been joined by other dignitaries to mark Republic Day.

The official ceremony took place at the Ataturk Mausoleum in Ankara.

The Republic of Turkey was founded on 29 October, 1923, by the soldier-turned-politician, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Speaking at the event, Recep Tayyip Erdogan likened the events leading up to the founding of the country to the failed coup against his government on 25 July, 2016.

“The heroic resistance displayed in the four corners of our country against the 15 July coup attempt is an embodiment of the shared faith and will that brought us victory 93 years ago in our war of independence.”




Turkey commemorates 93rd anniversary of Republic Dayhttps://t.co/65XYAHNNQy pic.twitter.com/S4kzRe5Ed5— TRT World (@trtworld) October 29, 2016






Guests





Headed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the ceremony was attended by numerous state and military officials.

They included Parliament Speaker Ismail Kahraman, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, Chief of General Staff, Hulusi Akar and Republican People’s Party leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu.





The July coup





Referring to the defeated coup on July 15, Erdogan wrote in the mausoleum memorial book:

“On the night of July 15, domestic and foreign circles that targeted independence, democracy and the legal government of our country were once again defeated, thanks to the nation’s courage and resistance.”





The history





The official proclamation of the Turkish Republic by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk took place on October 29, 1923.

The name of the nation and its status as a republic
were declared on that day.

A vote then took place in the Grand National Assembly and Ataturk, a revolutionary statesman, was elected first president of the Republic of Turkey by a unanimous vote.

Since then, Turkey has celebrated Republic Day every year on October 29.




We congratulate our Turkish Allies on #Turkey's Republic Day today! Statement from JohnKerry: https://t.co/jbmGqtbBDL pic.twitter.com/j6NgV3Yw1A— US Mission to NATO (USNATO) October 29, 2016