The 101st anniversary of the Republic is being celebrated in Mersin.

Mersin Metropolitan Municipality organized a folk dance show titled ‘From Tradition to Universality: The Joy of the Republic.’ The show showcased the diversity and cultural richness of Anatolia through regional pieces from places such as Ankara, Kütahya, Burdur, Gaziantep, Trabzon, and Silifke.

The Metropolitan Municipality is signing off on a variety of colorful and rich events as part of the celebrations for the 101st anniversary of the Republic. In this context, a folk dance show named ‘From Tradition to Universality: The Joy of the Republic’ was held at the Mezitli Cultural Center. In the show jointly performed by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Folk Dance Community and the Ankara Tuana Art Club, regional pieces representing the diversity and cultural richness of Anatolia, including those from Ankara, Kütahya, Burdur, Gaziantep, Trabzon, and Silifke, were displayed.

“Anatolia has a rich geography and culture”
Bengi İspir Özdülger, the Coordinator of the Culture and Social Affairs Department, stated in her speech at the end of the event that Anatolia has a rich geography and culture. Özdülger said, “Because each of our regions is rich, splendid, and magnificent in its own way. We watched these during the event. On this occasion, while I celebrate your Republic Day, I would like to express my endless gratitude and appreciation to the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades. Thanks to him, we can enjoy and observe our wealth and rich culture with such enthusiasm.”

“We presented works from our regions that showcase the diversity of Anatolia”
Suphi Tugay Ertunç, the President of the Tuana Art Club, also emphasized the importance of having dances from every region for the sake of diversity within the scope of the event. Ertunç stated, “We made efforts to present pieces from all over Anatolia and from our cherished homeland Cyprus. In the first act, we primarily showcased Kütahya dances, followed by Burdur, Gaziantep, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Romani dances. In the second part, we performed Ankara dances, Van, a whirling dervish performance, and the Silifke dances from our region. In the finale, we created a lively atmosphere with a large Trabzon performance. Happy 101st anniversary of our Republic. We are very happy to celebrate this festive joy together.”