The opening of the Atatürk statue, the symbol of Bilecik’s liberation, has been held.

The inauguration of the new Atatürk statue, which was brought to Bilecik by the Bilecik Municipality and symbolizes the liberation of the city, has been held.
The Mayor Melek Mızrak Subaşı, who spoke at the opening ceremony, stated that they were experiencing a very meaningful and proud day, saying: “Bilecik has historical significance as it is the land where the Ottoman Empire was founded, but it is also one of the places where the heart of the western front beat during the years of the War of Independence when the Turkish nation was reborn from its ashes. Mustafa Kemal Pasha, who visited our city for the first time on December 5, 1920, declared to the world from Bilecik during a meeting he held at our Station building with representatives of the Ottoman government that the Treaty of Sèvres would not be accepted under any circumstances and that the Turkish nation was ready to fight and die for its independence. For this reason, Bilecik is where the Treaty of Sèvres imposed on the Turkish nation was torn. It is also the land where the victories of İnönü on the western front were achieved.”
Recalling that the previous statue was carefully removed and relocated to its new place, Mayor Subaşı said, “As you know, we had an Atatürk statue that adorned our city for about 40 years. This statue, made by sculptor Cemalettin Sevim in 1983, was one of the important symbols of our city. After carrying out maintenance work on our statue, which had worn down during this time, we carefully removed it for use in a different area and started working on the new statue. Work has begun to place it in a beautiful area in our Bayırköy municipality.”
Mayor Subaşı added, “The meaning it carries, the ideas it conveys, or the historical heritage it reminds us of is as important as the artwork itself. The feelings it evokes in the children and youth of a country or a city can sometimes become even more significant than the artwork itself.”
Emphasizing that the new statue represents an idea, an ideal from the past, Mayor Subaşı stated, “In this sense, our statue is not just a work of art; it is also a symbol of a legacy, a struggle, and a determination that should always be reminded to our children and youth. In short, the work we inaugurated today represents an idea and an ideal from the past. It reminds us of our Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal Pasha during the war years and our Atatürk during the years of peace with his principles and revolutions. It symbolizes our city’s place and historical mission within the honorable struggle of the Turkish nation. We are very happy and proud to inaugurate such a work on the 102nd anniversary of our great victory.”
Member of Parliament Yaşar Tüzün also stated in his speech that a very meaningful work has been brought to Bilecik, thanking Mayor Melek Mızrak Subaşı and supporting stakeholders.
Architect Cemalettin Sevim thanked Mayor Melek Mızrak Subaşı for his emphasis on art and artists, saying, “I love Bilecik and the people of Bilecik very much.”
Continuing the program, famous poet and writer Sunay Akın stated, “Sculpture has a long history in Turkish culture. If there is a foolish culture that confuses idols with sculpture in this world, they are certainly not my ancestors. The statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk gives hope, just like the first line of our National Anthem, ‘Don’t be afraid, this crimson flag will not fade away.'”
After the speeches, a Zeybek dance performance was held before the inauguration. The performance received great admiration from the citizens, and the newly inaugurated statue was also welcomed with great admiration by the people of Bilecik.
The event held in the square in front of Atatürk Park was attended by writer Sunay Akın, the architect of the previous Atatürk statue Cemalettin Sevim, the architect of the new Atatürk statue Afshin Esfandyari, deputy mayors, department heads, representatives of civil society organizations, muhtars, and many citizens.