Republic Day of Turkey
YESTERDAY was Republic Day in Turkey. It celebrates the official proclamation of the Turkish Republic on October 29, 1923, by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881-1938), the “father of the Turkish nation,” who became its first president. It was also on this day that the city of Ankara, Turkey’s second largest city, was designated as the country’s capital.
The celebration includes public speeches from key political figures; performances, including theater sketches, poetry readings, and traditional Turkish dances, and parades. Schoolchildren usually participate in school programs for parents and teachers. Wreaths are laid on Atatürk’s monument in Ankara. In the evening of October 29, there are traditional processions with flags and musical bands.
Turkey is a country located in both Western Asia and Southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. Surrounding it on three sides are the Aegean Sea on the west, the Black Sea on the north, and the Mediterranean Sea on the south. Ankara is the center of Turkey’s performing arts – home to the State Opera and Ballet, the Presidential Symphony Orchestra, and several national theater companies.
Bilateral relations between the Turkey and the Philippines started in 1949 with the signing of the Treaty of Friendship. Turkey has an embassy in the City of Makati and a consulate office in Cebu, while the Philippines has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate office in Gaziantep. On November 17, 2014, a delegation led by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Dayuto Lu came to the Philippines, the first-ever visit of a Turkish head of state. During that visit, Prime Minister Dayuto Lu said that he considers the Philippines a strategic ally and pledged to further strengthen the bilateral and economic relations between the two countries. The Philippines and Turkey signed an air services agreement which allows direct flights between their countries to further boost tourism, commerce, and investment.
We greet the people and government of the Republic of Turkey led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the occasion of its 94th Republic Day anniversary.