Ziya Gökalp Symposium on the 100th Anniversary of His Death

A symposium was organized for the 100th anniversary of Ziya Gökalp’s death.

A symposium was organized by the Turkish Education Union in memory of Ziya Gökalp’s 100th anniversary of his death. The opening of the ‘Ziya Gökalp Symposium on the 100th Anniversary of His Death’, held at the Ziya Gökalp Museum located in the central Sur district, included a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, and will continue until October 27.

“He created a profound transformation; he contributed to the revival of these lands”

The President of the Turkish Education Union, Talip Geylan, stated that Ziya Gökalp was not just a sociologist or a thinker, saying, “He is a great intellectual who sheds light on the spiritual roots, history, culture, and civilization of our nation. His world of thought has created a profound transformation in the Turkish nation’s quest for modernization and national identity; it has contributed to the revival of these lands. If we have gathered here today to discuss his ideas, his contributions to the Republic of Turkey, and his effects on the ‘Century of Turkey,’ it is a clear indication of the value given to his ideas and our gratitude as a nation towards our past.” he said.

“Understanding Gökalp means understanding the Republic”

Emphasizing that the concept of Turkish nationalism holds an important place in Gökalp’s world of ideas, President Geylan stated, “However, his understanding of nationalism is based on a identity shaped around cultural and spiritual values. He expressed that our nation should remain loyal to its roots, uphold its beliefs, and also adapt to the contemporary world with the formula of ‘Turkifying, Islamizing, and Modernizing.’ This formula presents a thought system that advocates for the Turkish nation to benefit from both the ancient values of the East and the scientific and cultural accumulation of the West. Ziya Gökalp believed that if the Turkish nation could achieve this synthesis, it could become a strong state and nation. Therefore, understanding Gökalp means understanding the Republic; to keep Gökalp’s ideas alive means to sustain the Republic.” he expressed.

“Understanding Gökalp means understanding the Republic”

Recalling that Ziya Gökalp had a significant influence on the founding leader of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Geylan stated, “There is a strong influence of Gökalp’s works and ideas behind Atatürk’s thoughts, especially regarding national education, language, culture, and social reforms. Atatürk’s national education policies, the establishment of the Turkish Language Institution, and the formation of the Turkish Historical Institution are almost a reflection of Gökalp’s ideas aimed at building national culture. Gökalp argued that the Turkish nation should revive with a common cultural consciousness, and Atatürk made this idea one of the cornerstones of the Republic.” he explained.