A ceremony was held at the Conkbayırı Memorial to mark the completion of the 57th Regiment Memorial March, organized for the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli Campaign.
Following a wreath-laying at the memorial, a moment of silence was observed, and the Turkish national anthem was sung. The program continued with a gun salute and a recitation from the Quran.
Speaking at the ceremony, Youth and Sports Deputy Minister Safa Koçoğlu said they had carried out the 57th Regiment Memorial March, as they do every year, with indescribable emotions.
Koçoğlu emphasized that they were following in the footsteps of those who made history for the homeland, saying, “With our steps, we have walked not just a path, but through the most meaningful pages of our history. We all understood that this march is a salute of respect and a gesture of gratitude to the spiritual legacy of our martyrs.”
Highlighting that the spirit of Gallipoli was once again felt at Conkbayırı, Koçoğlu continued: “At one of the most critical moments in our nation’s history, we are repaying our debt of gratitude to our ancestors who changed the course of events through their struggle. We remember with mercy and gratitude all our martyrs who gave their lives for our future and independence, the heroes of the 57th Regiment, Hüseyin Avni Bey, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and all the heroes of our national struggle.”
“Exactly 110 years ago, when the occupying forces landed on these lands with all their might, they were met by a nation that could not be intimidated. They saw heroes who had more faith, spirit and heart than weapons. And it was those heroes who wrote an epic here at Conkbayırı, where we now stand with pride. The ink of that epic was their noble blood and the pages were the sacred lands of this nation,” he added.
Koçoğlu described Conkbayırı as the most meaningful symbol of unity, solidarity and brotherhood.
He thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his trust in the youth, his commitment to preserving the national memory, and his leadership under the “Century of Türkiye” vision. Koçoğlu added, “Dear young people, the victory at Gallipoli is not just a military triumph. It also marks the rebirth of a great nation that stood shoulder to shoulder, Turks, Kurds, Circassians, Bosniaks, Arabs and Roma, in unity and solidarity.”
Speaking on behalf of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), Staff Lt. Col. Fevzi Özdemir recalled the events that unfolded in Gallipoli 110 years ago.
He underlined that the average age of the 57th Regiment was just 24 and that its young heroes sacrificed themselves to keep even a single inch of homeland soil from being trampled by the enemy. “These young men left behind their schools, fiancees, wives, children, mothers and fathers to run to the front, never to return because they never considered turning back,” he said.
Özdemir continued, “Let there be no doubt that the Mehmetçik, the bravest, kindest and most honorable soldier in the world, is still ready today, just as they were in the past, to give their life without hesitation to defend and protect this sacred land entrusted to them.”
The ceremony concluded with a symbolic handover of the 57th Regiment’s flag. The flag was passed from Kahramanmaraş Sütçü Imam University to Hatay Mustafa Kemal University.