Gürs, who lost his father and wife as martyrs on July 15th, says: ‘Our heroes who stand tall in front of the weak, have inscribed their names in history with golden letters’.

Bilge Gürs, the Chairman of the Turkey Martyrs’ Relatives and Veterans Solidarity Foundation, spoke at a conference organized by Kayseri University (KAYÜ) within the framework of the ‘July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day’ event, where he recounted the events of the night of July 15, the epic resistance displayed by our nation, its national stance, and heroism. The event titled ‘The Victory of National Will and the Nation’s Victory’ held at the Congress and Culture Center on the July 15 Campus was attended by Governor Gökmen Çiçek, 12th Air Transportation Main Base Commander Brigadier General Hasan Volkan Güleryüz, Kayseri Provincial Police Chief Atanur Aydın, Kayseri Gendarmerie Regional Commander Major General Hakan Dedebağı, Rector Prof. Dr. Kurtuluş Karamustafa, along with numerous protocol members, representatives of civil society and professional organizations, guests, the university senate, academic and administrative staff. After a moment of silence and the singing of the National Anthem, a recitation from the Quran and a prayer for the martyrs followed. Following a video presentation on July 15, Rector Prof. Dr. Kurtuluş Karamustafa delivered the opening speech, thanking Bilge Gürs, Chairman of the Turkey Martyrs’ Relatives and Veterans Solidarity Foundation, for attending the program at Kayseri University. Rector Karamustafa stated, ‘Eight years have passed since the treacherous coup attempt on July 15. Those who appeared to be the children of this nation, but in reality did not have any connection with this nation or these lands, unfortunately, those who had surrendered their minds and hearts to global powers and foreign actors, the children of this nation said stop to their betrayal and that night our nation dealt a blow of national will to the backs of traitors. Attempts like this and similar ones will never be able to prevent the strong and great Republic of Turkey from being a regional and of course global power as long as we are united, our nation and state are strong together, such betrayals will not find ground easily again. The spirit displayed by our nation on July 15 is the same as the national spirit in Malazgirt and Çanakkale. On the night of July 15, global powers saw that as long as our crescent-starred flag fluttered, and the call to prayer echoed from the minarets five times a day, no one could stand against this great nation, the Turkish nation in any way. Our country, under the leadership of our President, has become a country that is listened to in the region we are in and throughout the world, a country that disrupts games and when necessary sets the rules of the game, and this spirit will continue with the free will of the great Turkish nation until the end of time.’ Bilge Gürs, the Chairman of the Turkey Martyrs’ Relatives and Veterans Solidarity Foundation, recounted the events of the night of July 15 in his speech titled ‘The Victory of National Will and the Nation’s Victory’. Bilge Gürs said, ‘On the night of the treacherous coup attempt, both my father and my husband became martyrs, and two of my brothers became veterans. For the indivisible integrity of this paradise homeland, for the existence of our state, uttering homeland, nation, flag, they went out against the traitors disregarding their lives. Their strength was faith, and their helper was Allah. They said if we die, we are martyrs, if we survive, we are veterans, and they never returned. We have never forgotten that night, the treachery that took place that night, and we will never forget. On that night, our heroes, who stood upright with their heads held high, in the demonic eyes disguised as soldiers, who for years appeared friendly to us but harbored enmity, who saluted our flag and tried to lower it, who rained bullets on unarmed people, who sold themselves for a dollar, these despicable individuals who could not be considered human, our heroes emerged in front of them with heads held high and foreheads open, and engraved their names in history with golden letters. The treacherous coup attempt on July 15 is a clear indication of the plot played on our country, a country that has a say in the world. However, there was a situation that the traitors did not calculate, did not comprehend. Our nation never bows to anyone, never surrenders its homeland to anyone. Because our death is martyrdom, our survival is being veterans. But the living of traitors is treachery, and their dead are disgrace.’ Following his speech, Bilge Gürs, the Chairman of the Turkey Martyrs’ Relatives and Veterans Solidarity Foundation, was presented with a plaque and flowers by Governor Gökmen Çiçek and Rector Prof. Dr. Kurtuluş Karamustafa.