91st Anniversary of Victory Day

29.08.2013
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Below is H.E. President Abdullah Gül’s message on the August 30th Victory Day.

“We are celebrating the 91st anniversary of Victory Day, which altered the destiny of the Turkish nation, with great elation. On this day of pride, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to our great nation and the members of the Turkish Armed Forces on this occasion of Victory Day.

History is one of the most important resources of life for a nation. Nations build their futures on their past by taking strength from their histories. I would like to express my pleasure that our forefathers, by making great sacrifices, left a history with many glories in every way for us.

The August 30 Vicory, which was won under the leadership of the great Atatürk and through the robust solidarity between the nation and army, is among the historic turning points in this process. Our nation and army by achieving what seemed impossible in the Battle of Dumlupınar, during which Atatürk was in command, won a great victory in a way that would be a good example for other nations. This victory proved to the whole world that nothing can stand in the way of our nation’s belief in independence and the love our nation has for the land.

This victory is also a saga that our nation, which regards its differences and diversities as its treasures, wrote in unshakable union and solidarity, protecting its common values. With the August 30 Victory, which crowned the War of Independence, which elevated our national spirit and honor and which heralded the birth of the Republic of Turkey, erected the monument of the sovereignty of our nation, its unconditional liberty and its existence forever.

The unique struggle, demonstrated on battlefields, enabled our Republic to be founded and to rise on staunch foundations, paving the way for our nation to lead a dignified life.

I hereby would like to reiterate this: It is our biggest objective to protect what we have been entrusted with by our martyrs and war veterans with the same understanding and resoluteness, and to enable our nation to live independently forever.

The anniversaries of such great victories make us proud and confident while we are on our way to a brighter future. Based on this confidence, we are doing our best to carry our country to better democratic, political and economic levels and we are making tireless efforts to meet our nation’s expectations by raising our standards in all areas. The values we enjoy and the enormous gains we have obtained throughout the history of our Republic are the most tangible demonstrations that Turkey’s path is clear and its future is bright.

The apple of the eye of our nation, the Turkish Armed Forces, are appreciated for their accomplishments in both national and international missions, as well as for their boldness, selfless devotion, valor, patriotism and great struggles against terrorism. It makes us all proud that the Turkish Armed Forces have the necessary tools and capabilities to stand against any possible risks and threats that could emerge at the global or regional level.

I hereby once again remember the great Atatürk, the founder of the Republic, his comrades in arms, the heroes and heroines of the Independence War and all of the martyrs and war veterans, with gratitude.

On this 91st anniversary of Victory Day, I celebrate this victory our nation with the members of our Armed Forces whose history is full of glorious triumphs, and our troops who are successfully performing their duties abroad to contribute to world peace. I extend my best wishes to our citizens as well.”

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