March 18th Martyrs’ Day and 104th Anniversary of Çanakkale Victory
Following is the message by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the occasion of March 18th Martyrs’ Day and 104th Anniversary of Çanakkale Victory:
“We, as the nation, commemorate the 104th anniversary of the Çanakkale Victory with great proud and excitement and once again remember each and every hero of it with respect and gratitude.
The Çanakkale Victory is a glorious victory which was made by our ancestors who challenged the entire world, brought to heel the most advanced militaries of the era and changed the course of history.
Çanakkale is the place where a nation, whose history is full of glorious victories, woke up from its century-old sleep, was reborn from its own ashes and monumentalized the spirit of unity and solidarity.
Çanakkale is also a symbol of our allegiance as the Turkish nation to our homeland, independence and to the sacred values that make us us.
Hundreds of thousands of heroes, who ─ without blinking an eye ─ accepted to sacrifice their lives for the survival of their homeland and people, inscribed the saying, “Çanakkale is impassable,” in history with their stunning struggle.
It was our faith, self-sacrifice and values of our a-thousand-year-old civilization that brought our nation victory on the battlefield, where the most striking examples of brotherhood, solidarity, affection and unity took place.
This victory, which ─ despite all the negative circumstances ─ was achieved through faith, resolution and love of country, also led to the strengthening of the spirit of struggle that would achieve victory in our War of Independence. The torch lighted in Çanakkale brightened our path during our fight for independence and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey.
Our Republic was built on such great self-sacrifices and great struggles as the Battle of Çanakkale and the War of Independence.
The biggest responsibility that falls to us in order to duly defend our country, which is our heroic ancestors’ legacy to us, is to feel in our hearts today the spirit, excitement and resolution felt in the Battle of Çanakkale.
We, as the grandchildren of the martyrs of Çanakkale, will by no means compromise on our independence, future and freedom.
We stand up today to the games sought to be played against our country and to the treacherous plans aimed at our people with this determination, and tirelessly work shoulder to shoulder with all our citizens ─ from men and women to the young and the old ─ to build a bright future.
With these thoughts, I commemorate the anniversary of the Çanakkale Victory and remember with mercy and gratitude all our martyrs and heroes, first and foremost Ghazi Mustafa Kemal, who entrusted these lands to us as a sacred homeland, on the occasion of March 18th Martyrs’ Day.
May they rest in peace.”
