Erdoğan: Strengthening Türkiye means honoring Atatürk’s legacy

Monday 10 November 2025 - 15:30

By: Sahili Aya

Erdoğan: Strengthening Türkiye means honoring Atatürk’s legacy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday attended a solemn ceremony in Ankara marking the 87th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye.

In his address, Erdoğan paid tribute to Atatürk and expressed gratitude to the members of the first Grand National Assembly, who led the War of Independence and laid the foundations of the modern Turkish state. He also honored the memory of national martyrs — from the Battle of Manzikert and the Conquest of Istanbul to the Gallipoli Campaignand the July 15, 2016 defeated coup attempt — acknowledging their role in shaping the nation’s history.

Quoting Atatürk, Erdoğan recalled his famous words:

“My mortal body will surely turn to dust one day, but the Republic of Türkiye will live forever.”

“With these words, Atatürk declared a century ago that his greatest and most enduring legacy was the Republic itself,” Erdoğan said. “To honor his legacy means to strengthen, advance, and build upon the success of the Republic — making it stronger and more prosperous in every field.”

The president also announced the completion of an 11-month restoration project of Atatürk’s birthplace in Thessaloniki, Greece, carried out by the Culture and Tourism Ministry in coordination with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
“The historic home has been restored to its 1953 appearance and reopened to visitors,” Erdoğan noted, emphasizing that the project forms part of Türkiye’s efforts to preserve Atatürk’s heritage.

Atatürk, who died on November 10, 1938, at the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul at age 57, is remembered each year with a nationwide moment of silence at 9:05 a.m., the exact time of his death — a tribute to the leader who transformed Türkiye into a modern, secular republic.