The Parliament on Wednesday held a special session on National Sovereignty and Children’s Day to mark the 105th anniversary of its opening, underlining continued growth, development and unity within the country.
“We see this Parliament not only as a decision-making body or a competition ground for different ideas, but also as the honor, dignity and conscience of a nation,” the group chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said.
“Our goal today, our values and the ideal we are drawing the direction toward is a world where justice prevails, stability is established, human dignity is not violated, the oppressed do not shed tears, no one feels marginalized and peace and tranquility prevail, just as it was 105 years ago,” he added.
Indicating that children in Gaza are still under attack by Israel, Güler reiterated President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s famous words that “the world is bigger than five,” and added that Türkiye will continue to be the voice of the oppressed.
Earlier in the day, a ceremony was held in front of the Atatürk Memorial in Parliament, with the participation of Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, Deputy Parliament Speakers Bekir Bozdağ and Gülizar Biçer Karaca, AK Party Deputy Chair Efkan Ala and Güler, among others.
“The basic goal of yesterday was to establish a strong Turkish Republic. The basic goal of yesterday was to reach the level of civilized nations. Today, the goal of our republic, which enters its second century, must be renewed, updated and carried further,” Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said on the same day.
“In its second century, we will make the Turkish Republic a Türkiye with a strong voice and an influential power in every field in the world, and we will struggle diligently to make the coming period the century of a strong Türkiye,” Kurtulmuş said.
Erdoğan announced the “Century of Türkiye” vision in 2022. The vision encapsulates an ambitious set of political, economic, social and cultural innovations and developments his government aims to accomplish to celebrate Türkiye’s centenary as a republic.
It was a key focus during the run-up to the 2023 presidential and parliamentary elections.
April 23 messages
On the other side, Cabinet members released messages celebrating April 23.
Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz called April 23, 1920, “a historic turning point” and praised the Grand National Assembly as the “headquarters of the National Struggle.”
He honored Atatürk and the founding parliamentarians, saying, “We remember them with respect and gratitude.”
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also expressed gratitude to Atatürk and commemorated the dual significance of the day. “I remember the founder of our republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and all his comrades-in-arms, our martyrs and veterans with respect, mercy and gratitude.”
The Defense Ministry paid tribute to Atatürk as commander-in-chief, affirming that “sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation.”
Communications Director Fahrettin Altun stressed that April 23 “is not just a date” for Türkiye, but affirms the people’s will and passes this legacy on to future generations.