UPDATE - Turkey's foreign missions pay homage to Ataturk on 83rd anniversary of his passing

UPDATES WITH MORE COMMEMORATION CEREMONIES ACROSS WORLD

By Anadolu Agency Staff

​​​​​​​ANKARA (AA) – Turkey's diplomatic missions around the world on Wednesday held ceremonies to pay homage to the country's founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on the 83rd anniversary of his passing.

Turkey's embassies in Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, Greece, Ukraine, and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus held ceremonies in memory of the preeminent leader. Attendees observed a minute of silence at 9.05 a.m., the exact time of the leader's death, and laid flowers on Ataturk's monuments.

A commemoration ceremony was held in front of the Ataturk monument in Kazakhstan's capital, Nur-Sultan, attended by Turkish Ambassador Ufuk Ekici, his family, and members and representatives of Turkic institutions.

“Today has been an honor for us in terms of remembering once more the republic that Ataturk entrusted upon us, as well as the values and ideals of the republic,” Ekici said in a speech at the ceremony.

Ataturk was also commemorated in Pakistan at a ceremony held at the Turkish Embassy in the capital Islamabad. The ceremony was attended by Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, as well as embassy employees and representatives from Turkish institutions.

A similar ceremony was held at the Turkish Embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, with a small number of attendees due to COVID-19 pandemic measures. The occasion was attended by Ambassador Fatma Ceren Yazgan, mission employees, and representatives from Turkish institutions.

Yazgan remarked that the Turkish people are "extremely fortunate" to have Ataturk as a leader, and she underlined her nation's admiration and love for him.

During a memorial ceremony in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, Ambassador Cahit Bagci said that owing to Ataturk's leadership, Turkey has become a modern model country.

The ceremony, which took place in front of the Ataturk monument, was attended by embassy employees, representatives from Turkish organizations, and students from Turkish institutions.

“Ataturk is an example for the world with his revolutionary character,” Bagci said. “We commemorate Ataturk with longing.”

Films showing scenes from Ataturk’s life were displayed during the event, and students recited poems in memory of the late leader.

In Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek, a ceremony was held in Ataturk Park attended by the acting Turkish envoy Yekta Kamil Noyan, staff from the Kyrgyzstan-Turkey Manas University and Turkish schools, as well as Turkish businessmen and citizens.

“I hereby commemorate the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Gazi (honored veteran) Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and his fellow fighters with grace and mercy,” said Noyan in his speech.

Two separate ceremonies were held in Lefkosa, the capital of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. President Ersin Tatar and Prime Minister Faiz Sucuoglu, among other political figures, participated in the ceremony.

Tatar’s statement in the official memorial book read: “Your love is an unquenchable fire within us, the Turkish Cypriots. As you wanted in your last will, we will be care about Cyprus and will work very hard for the survival of Turkey and the Turkish nation.”

Addressing the ceremony in Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent, Turkish undersecretary Kerim Sercan Evcin said: “Ataturk managed to fit in his life of over 50 years the difficulties, struggles and, most importantly, the success that nations may not easily do.”

Members of the embassy as well as officials from the Turkish institutions in Uzbekistan attended the ceremony.

Due to pandemic measures, the ceremony in Nigeria’s capital Abuja was held with a limited number of participants. Turkish Ambassador Hidayet Bayraktar and embassy staff were among the guests.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Military Attache of Turkish Embassy to Abuja Captain Fehmi Kahraman said that Ataturk placed great importance on women’s rights and he underscored women’s role in the victory of Turkey’s War of Independence in 1919-1923.

A similar ceremony was held at the Turkish Embassy in the Greek capital Athens.

“We bow respectfully before the supreme legacy of the leader of our War of Independence, the founder of the contemporary Republic of Turkey, the exceptional statesman Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on the 83rd anniversary of his passing,” Turkish Ambassador Burak Ozugergin said.

Another ceremony in Greece was held in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, Ataturk’s hometown.

In Ukraine, the commemorative ceremony attended by Turkish Ambassador Yagmur Ahmet Guldere and embassy staff was held online due to coronavirus restrictions.

Guldere emphasized that Ataturk’s greatest expectation from the Turkish people is to carry the Republic of Turkey, which he called “my greatest achievement,” to the next level.

The battle of Turkish independence started on May 15, 1919, when the first bullet against the occupying Greek forces was fired. The incredible achievements on the battlefield led to Turkish independence, and the Republic of Turkey was founded on Oct. 29, 1923.

Ataturk became the republic’s first president until Nov. 10, 1938, when he passed away in Istanbul at the age of 57 due to cirrhosis.

* Writing by Dilan Pamuk in Ankara

* Anadolu Agency correspondents in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan; Islamabad, Pakistan; Tbilisi, Georgia; Baku, Azerbaijan; Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; Lefkosa, Turkish Republic Of Northern Cyprus; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Abuja, Nigeria; Athens, Greece; and Kiev, Ukraine, contributed to this story