A Grand Gathering at Abide-i Hürriyet Square, the Shining Face of History

Bornova Municipality celebrated Victory Day on August 30 with a magnificent reception held at Abide-i Hürriyet Square, one of the city’s new landmarks. Bringing together Bornova’s community—from protocol members and veterans to civil society organizations and neighborhood heads—the evening brought the epic story of the nation’s liberation to life once again through poetry, anthems, and songs. In his speech, Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki said, “We will continue to fight for these lands.”

Bornova Municipality crowned the enthusiasm of August 30 Victory Day with a magnificent reception at Abide-i Hürriyet Square, which was transformed in a short period of time and has become one of Bornova’s symbolic public spaces. With the full participation of Bornova’s local protocol, residents filled the square waving Turkish flags and experienced the spirit of liberation together as one.

Hosted by Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki, the reception was attended by former Bornova Mayor and former İzmir Member of Parliament Prof. Dr. Kamil Okyay Sındır, New Party District Chairman Ertürk Çapın, representatives of political parties and civil society organizations, municipal council members, bureaucrats, neighborhood heads, veterans, families of martyrs, and numerous guests.

The Epic of Liberation Brought to Life Through Poetry and Songs

The meaningful evening began with a moment of silence and the Turkish National Anthem. Victory-themed poems and songs echoed across Bornova. Ulvi Puğ’s passionate presentation, powerful poetry, memorable statements by Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and his narration of the epic of liberation added a profound spirit to the evening.

Accompanying Ulvi Puğ’s narration with her songs and folk melodies, Feryal Derin offered the guests an emotional and enthusiastic evening. Beginning her repertoire with “Çanakkale Türküsü,” the artist continued with “Ah Bir Ataş Ver,” “Bülbülüm Altın Kafeste,” the first Turkish kanto “Mazi Kalbimde Bir Yaradır,” “Aydın Bir Türk Kadınıyım,” and, accompanied by a waltz and zeybek performance, “Efem” and “Vardar Ovası.”

The reception concluded with all participants waving Turkish flags and singing “İzmir March” together in one voice and one heart.

Mayor Eşki: “We Will Continue to Fight for These Lands”

Taking the stage during the evening, Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki spoke about the transformation of Abide-i Hürriyet Square and the historical significance of the victory:

“This is my favorite place in Bornova. As many of you know, this used to be a neglected and run-down area. It was a dark, unlit place where people dumped rubble and threw garbage. We created a square here. One side of the square represents the entirety of Turkish history, while the other represents Turkish modernization.

Just as this area was once forgotten, abandoned, and left to its fate in Anatolia for hundreds of years, a modern republic was built from those circumstances. The day that construction began was the day the wars were brought to an end. And after Hector, Mustafa Kemal brought that war to an end by defeating the occupying forces at Dumlupınar on August 30.

The centuries-long, even millennia-long question of who would own these lands was settled by the victory Mustafa Kemal and his comrades achieved with the Turkish nation behind them.”

“We Must Protect This Country and Its History”

Emphasizing the importance of passing the love of country on to future generations, Mayor Eşki concluded his speech with these words:

“This is why we are here today. We must remember all the struggles and that sacred effort. We must also remind future generations so that the most valuable sons and daughters this country has raised will not have to leave these lands, nor want to leave them.

Whatever the cost, they should remain here and continue the struggle for the Republic. And so that they will protect this country, we too must protect this history.

That is why I sincerely thank all of you for coming here tonight, for honoring the struggle given for the Republic, and for promising together to remain on these lands won through the blood of our ancestors. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this beautiful evening individually.

I say: It is good that you are here, it is good that the Republic exists, and it is good that Mustafa Kemal’s soldiers are here. Happy Victory Day.”

Flowers of Appreciation Presented to the Artists

At the end of the evening, flowers of appreciation were presented to the artists who took the stage and captivated the audience with their performances. Bornova Mayor Ömer Eşki, former Bornova Mayor and former İzmir Member of Parliament Prof. Dr. Kamil Okyay Sındır, New Party District Chairman Ertürk Çapın, and renowned artist Bedri Ayseli jointly presented the flowers, thanking the artists and everyone who contributed to the event.