Ceremony marks Veterans Day
Right, a military official laying a wreath at the Atatürk Monument in Lefkoşa on Sunday A CEREMONY was held on Sunday in front of the Atatürk Monument in Lefkoşa to mark Veterans Day.
Senior civil and military officials attended the wreath-laying ceremony. There was a moment of silence, the Turkish and TRNC flags were hoisted and the Turkish national anthem was sung.
Turkish Peace Forces Veterans Association president Kadir Dedeoğlu (pictured above) said in a speech at the event that the date the title of “Gazi” (veteran) was given to the “Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey as a show of gratitude, appreciation and respect” is celebrated as Veterans Day every year.
“This day is a clear indication of the respect and gratitude for veterans and martyrs,” he said.
“The region that we live in independently and freely became a homeland because of the struggle of martyrs and veterans. . . We owe a debt to [late Turkish Cypriot leaders] Dr Fazıl Küçük, Rauf Denktaş and [late Turkish Prime Minister] Bülent Ecevit for the existence of the TRNC.”
Mr Dedeoğlu commemorated “all martyrs, especially Atatürk, with mercy” and “the day of those who are still alive”.
Democrat Party leader and Tourism and Environment Minister Fikri Ataoğlu released a message to mark September 19 Veterans Day.
“If we live in peace and security nowadays, we owe this to the honourable struggle of our martyrs and veterans at the expense of their lives,” he said.
“We are aware that it is our primary duty to protect our state and our flag that they have entrusted to us.”
Finance Minister Dursun Oğuz said in a written message that the sacrifices of martyrs and veterans will “never be forgotten”.
“The history of our beloved nation, which values dying for its country more than living, is filled with the epics of our martyrs and veterans who put their lives on the line,” he said.
“Our dear Turkish Nation, which has adopted the principle of living free in the face of all difficulties, protecting its independence and freedom at the cost of its life throughout its glorious history, considered being a martyr and a veteran for this cause a great honour and pride and emerged victorious from every fight it entered in return for this sacrifice. . . The moral heritage we received from them and their heroism engraved in history light the torch of our great hopes for the future. The sacrifices of our martyrs and veterans will never be forgotten.”