Emotional Atatürk commemorative events in Ataşehir

Ataşehir Municipality organized a meaningful series of events on the 86th anniversary of the eternal passing of the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

With events held at the İnal Aydınoğlu Cultural Center, Ataşehir Municipality commemorated Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on the 86th anniversary of his death. Through meaningful activities such as exhibitions, discussions, and concerts, Atatürk’s legacy was once again celebrated.

Ataşehir Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel stated in his speech, “Today, we remember the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk with longing and gratitude in Ataşehir on the 86th anniversary of his eternal passing. With these specially prepared events for the significance of November 10, we aimed to once again remind everyone of Atatürk’s great legacy. Firstly, we wanted to show how the newspapers reacted upon hearing of Atatürk’s death on November 10. The newspapers published that day and throughout that month revealed the deep impact of Atatürk’s loss on the public. We aimed to present this meaningful period to the children and all citizens of Ataşehir through the exhibition ‘The Newspapers of That Day,’ allowing them to experience the atmosphere of that time. At the same time, by benefiting from the valuable knowledge of our esteemed professor Prof. Dr. Emre Kongar, we shared Atatürk’s contributions to social transformation with the people of Ataşehir. With Emre Kongar’s in-depth perspective, we had the opportunity to listen to how Atatürk transformed Turkey not only as a soldier and politician but also as a social leader. At the end of our event, considering Atatürk’s interest in art, we organized a recital featuring his favorite songs. We aimed to provide a sensory journey to the participants by celebrating Atatürk’s fondness for music and the importance he placed on culture on this meaningful day.”

“Our goal is for every child in Ataşehir to grow up knowing Atatürk correctly”

Mayor Adıgüzel expressed that they would continue their efforts to uphold Atatürk’s legacy, saying, “Our goal is for every child in Ataşehir to grow up knowing Mustafa Kemal Atatürk correctly and to be enlightened by the light of the Republic he established 101 years ago. It is about carrying this unique legacy forward, protecting our Republic, and being worthy children by progressing along the path shown by Atatürk. Ataşehir is a city of our Great Leader, as its name suggests… Today, we respectfully and gratefully remember our great leader, the founder of our Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, here in Ataşehir, and I once again express our determination to uphold his legacy.”

The memory of Atatürk was honored throughout the day

The organization prepared by Ataşehir Municipality saw great participation and interest. Both young and old gathered at the Cultural Center on November 9 to understand the meaning and importance of November 10 together. Participants showed their deep respect and love for Atatürk’s memory, feeling once again his determined struggle to establish the Republic.

Commemoration events that started with the exhibition

The first event of the day was the opening of the exhibition “The Newspapers of That Day,” which took place at 14:30. The exhibition, prepared by Ephemera Collector Dr. Ulvi Sulaoğlu and Prof. Dr. Turgut Göksoy, conveyed the headlines and news from the period’s newspapers following Atatürk’s death, bringing the emotional atmosphere of those days to visitors. The newspaper clippings and headlines, which hold historical document status, showcased the public’s and media’s loyalty to Atatürk and how they faced the early years of the Republic. The exhibition attracted great interest from participants and will be open to the people of Ataşehir until November 22.

After the exhibition opening, at 15:00, Prof. Dr. Emre Kongar’s talk on “Atatürk from the Perspective of Social Sciences” was watched with great interest. Sociologist and academician Kongar shared how Atatürk took on a role not only as a soldier or politician but also as a social revolutionary. Addressing Atatürk’s ideals from a social scientific perspective, Kongar emphasized that the foundations of the Republic were shaped not only by political but also by cultural and social revolutions. Participants gained new perspectives on Atatürk’s life and legacy through Kongar’s in-depth viewpoint and detailed narration.

Atatürk was commemorated with the concert of Erdem Özgen featuring his favorite songs

The last event of the day was the “Atatürk Commemoration Concert,” which took place at 16:00. The concert, featuring tenor Erdem Özgen, highlighted Atatürk’s great importance placed on art. Özgen presented an unforgettable musical feast to the audience with pieces such as Atatürk’s favorite Rumelian folk songs and Kocakçalar. Throughout the concert, Atatürk’s love for art and the depth of his cultural legacy were felt strongly. The pieces performed by Erdem Özgen’s powerful voice provided emotional moments for the participants in the hall.