The Gallipoli Peninsula, the site of some of the world’s bloodiest battles, is preparing for international ceremonies to mark the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign.
Ahead of the ceremonies to be held on April 24 and 25 across the historic peninsula, preparations at Turkish memorials and cemeteries, as well as foreign monuments and burial grounds, are nearing completion.
Work is continuing at full pace at the Turkish Martyrs’ Memorial, the British and French monuments, and the ceremony sites at Anzac Cove and Chunuk Bair.
Temporary stands for guests, stages, resting areas, and secure corridors for entry and exit are being set up. Landscaping is also being carried out where needed.
Ismail Kaşdemir, president of the Gallipoli Historical Site under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, provided information about the preparations.
Kaşdemir announced that the ceremonies for the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign would take place on April 24 and 25. He added, “This year will see greater participation than usual, both from abroad and within the country. As the Site Directorate, we will once again commemorate those who made Gallipoli an impassable fortress, those who secured victory, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, our other commanders, our heroic Mehmetçik, and our revered martyrs and veterans. We will reaffirm that we have not forgotten and will never forget these great individuals.”
He also emphasized the international participation, stating: “The families of martyrs and veterans will be present. As a nation and a state, we will remember and honor these great heroes with respect. Moreover, this year there will be a high-level international presence. We expect large delegations and top-level officials from countries such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and others. This highlights that Gallipoli is a gathering place not only for Türkiye but for the world.”
Kaşdemir continued, “That’s our dream: that hundreds of thousands of people from across Türkiye come here to visit their ancestors and remember the heroes, and that tens of thousands of visitors from abroad come to this land of peace and tranquility to both visit and take part in the ceremonies.”
He stated that the directorate is ready to support all attendees, saying: “We have a dream. As the Historical Site Directorate, we want to make Gallipoli a meeting point for both Türkiye and the world. One day, we hope that no Turkish citizen will be left who hasn’t visited the Gallipoli historical site and breathed in the spirit of Gallipoli, and that hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors will freely and peacefully come here to attend ceremonies and pay their respects.”
Kaşdemir concluded by stating: “Once again, on the 110th anniversary, we honor and respectfully remember the great people who made Gallipoli impassable – those brave, selfless individuals. These lands, where every inch holds their memory and footprints, are now a land of peace and tranquility. They gave their lives, but the homeland survived. And as the living children of this surviving homeland, we have not forgotten them – and we never will.”
Together with this year’s ceremonies, the 6th Presidential International Yacht Race, held under the auspices of the Presidency, will begin its Çanakkale leg on April 23, he explained.