President Ersin Tatar participates in the ceremony at the Atatürk Monument in Lefkoşa marking April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day
“The Turkish Cypriot people are aspiring to raise future generations that are modern, patriotic and loyal to Motherland Türkiye and Ataturkist thought.”
President Ersin Tatar participated in a ceremony at the Atatürk Monument in Lefkoşa, marking 23 April National Sovereignty and Children’s Day.
In his speech at the ceremony on Wednesday, President Tatar drew attention to the “importance of sovereignty and national will of the Turkish Cypriot People,” adding that “the sensitivity and awareness of the importance of sovereignty is fundamental to the two State vision and position that is being put forward as a realistic and sustainable settlement basis for the Island of Cyprus”.
President Tatar expressed his great honour in celebrating the 105th anniversary of the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the National Sovereignty and Children's Day, that he stressed was gifted to children by Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Referring to the famous words of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, President Tatar added: “As Atatürk said: Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation. The Turkish nation fought resolutely for independence throughout history, refusing to live under the servitude of other nations. This struggle began with the War of Independence and was crowned with the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly and the declaration of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923.”
“The Turkish Cypriot People supported the struggle of the Turkish nation for independence that was led by Atatürk, and were themselves inspired by this struggle whilst facing challenging times and enduring violence due to the aspiration of uniting Cyprus with Greece – which goes back to the period of the British colonial administration of the Island,” President Tatar said.
President Tatar stated that despite the oppression and difficulties faced by the Turkish Cypriot People on the Island of Cyprus, they embraced the revolutionary principals, values and thought system introduced by Atatürk.
President Tatar stressed that the “Turkish Cypriot People are aspiring to raise future generations that are modern, patriotic and loyal to Motherland Türkiye and Ataturkist thought”.
President Tatar explained the “long national struggle and resistance of the Turkish Cypriot People against the Greek – Greek Cypriot duo, who aspired to unite the Island of Cyprus with Greece (ENOSIS),” and their “determination to protect their sovereignty as a free people with rights to self-determination”.
“The Turkish Cypriot People were inspired by and followed in the footsteps of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. . .and future generations are being raised with this sensitivity and awareness,” President Tatar said.
“With these thoughts, I congratulate 23 April National Sovereignty and Children’s Day,” the President said. “May Atatürk, his comrades and our martyrs rest in eternal peace,” he added.