The 94th anniversary of Gaziantep's liberation from enemy occupation was celebrated with magnificent ceremonies.
The celebrations, which began with the laying of a wreath at Democracy Square, continued with the celebrations at the Martyrs' Memorial and Dokurcum Square.
The celebrations were attended by the Chairman of our Foundation, Governor Ali Yerlikaya, Gaziantep MP Nejat Koçer, Ahmet Uzer, Mehmet Erdoğan, Abdulkadir Yüksel, Canan Candemir Çelik, Akif Ekici, Ümit Özdağ, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin, members of the Protocol, representatives of our civil society organizations, members of martyrs' and veterans' associations and our citizens.
After the wreaths were laid at the Atatürk Monument by Gaziantep Governor Ali Yerlikaya and Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin at Democracy Square, our Independence Medal was pinned to the Turkish flag.
Following the moment of silence and the reading of our national anthem accompanied by the metropolitan municipality band, the protocol members, students representing the schools and the participants of the ceremony moved in a procession from Atatürk Boulevard to Çınarlı where the Martyrs' Memorial is located. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mehter Band was at the front of the procession.
After Deputy Provincial Mufti Şaban Kondi read a prayer for the 6,317 martyrs who lost their lives during the Antep War at the Martyrs' Memorial, the martyrs' memorial was visited and the protocol members placed bouquets and carnations at the symbolic mausoleum located there.
The celebrations continued with a ceremony held at Dokurcum Square. This year's celebration program was attended by a large number of people from the surrounding provinces and districts.
Governor Yerlikaya and Mayor Şahin congratulated the participants in the area on the day of liberation.
After a moment of silence and the reading of our National Anthem, the program began with a poem reading by students Kübra Tuğçe Karaoğlu and Şevket Durgun, students of Yasemin Erman Balsu Anatolian High School. Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Fatma Şahin gave a speech about the meaning and importance of the day.
Stating that it is a great honor and glory to be the mayor of this city, Mayor Şahin said, “We are shouting out to the whole world once again with 2 million people living in our city. We will fight for an independent and free Turkey. We have determination, love and resolve for this. The power we need is present in the noble blood in our veins. We have not forgotten our liberation, and we will not let it be forgotten. We remember all our martyrs with mercy, gratitude and thanksgiving, and we bow respectfully before them.”
The ceremony ended with Mayor Fatma Şahin’s speech and a folk dance show by the Janissary Band affiliated with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
