Every country has special day. There are also international special days. For example, Mother’s Day is an international special day celebrated by all nations on May 12. Independence Day which is a national special day of America is being celebrated in America on 4th July.
Today is 29 October. Today is a very special day for Turks. Because it is 29 October which is the day that Turkey declared its independence. In addition to this today is October 29, 2023. It means that 100 years passed from October 29, 1923 the day that Turkey declared its independence. So to understand it better let’s go to 1923.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said “After the victory, regime will be republic.” During the Erzurum meeting. January 20, 1921 dated constitution states that “Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation.” Even in 1921 it was decided that Turkey’s regime will be republic. The biggest obstacle to the declaration of the Republic was sultanate. On November 1, 1922 the sultanate was removed. On July 24, 1923 the Lausanne Peace Treaty was signed by Turkish Grand National Assembly. So national independence of Turkey concluded. On October 25, 1923 government resigned and crisis occurred. This event gave the chance of the proclamation of the republic to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Because government can’ t be established until October 28, 1923 evening Mustafa Kemal Atatürk said “Tomorrow we will declare the republic” to his friends at Çankaya mansion. That night Mustafa Kemal Atatürk changed some articles of the 1921 Constitution with Ismet Inonu. Next day after some conversations made in Turkish Grand National Assembly republic was declared. Then republic was celebrated with applauses. After these events, presidential election has been made and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was elected the first president of the Turkish state.
100 years passed from these events and we are still celebrating the proclamation of the republic. For us October 29, 1923 is so important. We should protect our country from enemies. We should protect our country from traitors. We must teach our children how important the republic is. Because children are our future.
In conclusion, it is our primary civic duty to protect and keep alive the republican regime, which is the most appropriate regime for the structure of the Turkish nation.
