Sunday, October 29, 2023

Turkey celebrates 100th anniversary of republic

 On Sunday, Turkey celebrated the 100th anniversary of the republic's creation after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The celebration consisted of a fireworks and drone show as well as a parade of 100 navy ships. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, delivered a speech thanking Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Turkey's "founding father." Despite the theatrical performances, the celebration was considered muted for such an important milestone. While the event was originally planned with grander programs, they were canceled due to the attacks in Gaza. This also comes after an earthquake devastated Malatya, Turkey, killing over 50,000 people. Some criticize Erdogan for scaling back on the celebration The same people also believe that Erdogan has shifted Turkey away from Ataturk's plans on creating a secular, western-style democracy.  However, people still hosted their own celebrations. The mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu organized a concert in celebration. Thousands of people gathered at Ataturk's mausoleum dressed in white and red. 

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/erdogan-opts-low-key-celebration-turkeys-100th-anniversary-104456831

By: Ayshe Ali

No comments:

Post a Comment