OMU hosts panel and exhibition on Samsun and the National Struggle

As part of the 19 May Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day events organized in cooperation with the Turkish Historical Society (TTK) and Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU), with the support of the Samsun Governorship, the panel titled “Samsun and the Construction of the National Struggle” and the photo exhibition “Traces of the First Step Through Documents: Atatürk’s Arrival in Samsun” were held.

The program, organized at the OMU Atatürk Congress and Culture Center, was attended by Turkish Historical Society President Prof. Dr. Yüksel Özgen, OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın, Deputy Governor Murat Bulacak, Acting Chief Public Prosecutor Turgut Türkmen, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Alper Kesten, Prof. Dr. Çetin Kurnaz, and Prof. Dr. Ayşe Pınar Sumer, Secretary General Prof. Dr. Erhan Burak Pancar, Director of the Research and Application Center for Atatürk’s Principles and History of Turkish Revolution Dr. Nazlı Murzioğlu, members of the Samsun protocol, academic and administrative staff, and students.

Rector Aydın: “History is the strongest memory shaping the future of nations”

Delivering the opening speech of the program, Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın emphasized that history is one of the most important elements shaping the future of nations:

“The fundamental element determining the difference between history and destiny in the life of nations is the concept of learning lessons. Societies that evaluate the past merely within the flow of time cannot establish a strong perspective for the future. However, when the collective memory of nations can interpret humanity’s journey through cause-and-effect relationships, a solid future can be built. In this regard, the lessons offered by the science of history are highly valuable sources of knowledge and inspiration that nourish our consciousness of a ‘future rooted in the past.’”

“We carry the values inherited from the honorable pages of our past into the future”

Stating that the spirit of the National Struggle holds a special place in OMU’s institutional identity, Aydın said:

“The establishment process of our Republic, the final link in the Turkish state tradition, was realized through a great struggle that must always be kept alive in the spirit of future generations. Our university, which chose the beginning date of our National Struggle as its own name, fulfills its academic responsibilities with the awareness of this exceptional pride. Being able to pass on the values entrusted to us from the honorable pages of our past to our students lies at the center of our understanding of duty.”

Referring to Samsun’s historical mission, Aydın continued:

“There are special moments in the biographies of cities that distinguish them from others. When it comes to Samsun, the first thing that comes to mind is that it is the city where the National Struggle began. These lands, where the torch of our War of Independence was lit, witnessed the beginning of our liberation struggle. The fact that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk began Nutuk with his arrival in Samsun and marked 19 May as his birthday makes the place of the city of the first step in our history even more meaningful.”

“19 May is the source of inspiration for our nation’s claim to existence”

Rector Prof. Dr. Fatma Aydın concluded her speech as follows:

“19 Mays are exceptional moments that inspire our nation’s claim to existence and allow us to look at the world with the enthusiasm of youth. Through the topics discussed within the framework of this panel, organized in line with the spirit of the holiday, we will gain important insights into the conditions under which the Republic of Türkiye, of which we are proud members, was founded.”

TTK President Prof. Dr. Özgen: “The first torch of the National Struggle was lit in Samsun”

Turkish Historical Society President Prof. Dr. Yüksel Özgen emphasized Samsun’s significance in the history of the National Struggle:

“I feel great honor and happiness to be with you in Samsun, where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s determination for struggle reached its peak and where the first torch of the National Struggle was lit. This program, hosted by Ondokuz Mayıs University, is not merely a commemorative gathering; it is also an extremely valuable meeting in terms of reinterpreting and conveying to future generations a great struggle that changed the course of history through a contemporary and scientific vision.”

Stating that Atatürk’s arrival in Samsun was a historic turning point that changed the fate of the Turkish nation, Özgen said:

“The moment Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk stepped ashore in Samsun aboard the Bandırma Ferry, though seemingly a military assignment, was in fact a historic step that changed the unfortunate fate of the Turkish nation. Under the harsh conditions of the Armistice of Mudros, a nation whose lands had been occupied, whose armies had been disbanded, and whose hope had been broken found its will for independence in Samsun. The torch lit in Samsun transformed into the idea of national sovereignty in Amasya and the manifestation of national will in Erzurum and Sivas, eventually crowned with the Republic.”

“The spirit of 19 May must be addressed with a scientific perspective”

Emphasizing the responsibilities of historians in the second century of the Republic, Özgen stated:

“The most important responsibility that falls upon us historians and academics today is to evaluate the spirit of 19 May and the dynamics of the National Struggle with a completely document-based, analytical, and objective perspective, far from ideological molds. In the second century of our Republic, it is of great importance to address the sociological, economic, and strategic dimensions of our National Struggle in greater depth.”

Experts addressed the National Struggle from multiple perspectives

In the panel titled “Samsun and the Construction of the National Struggle,” organized in cooperation with the Turkish Historical Society, the OMU Research and Application Center for Atatürk’s Principles and History of Turkish Revolution, and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the National Struggle process was discussed from historical, social, and academic perspectives.

The session was chaired by Prof. Dr. İbrahim Tellioğlu, a member of the Turkish Historical Society Scientific Board and faculty member of the Department of History at OMU Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Prof. Dr. Hikmet Öksüz, member of the Turkish Historical Society Scientific Board and faculty member at Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Letters, delivered a presentation titled “Eastern Black Sea Ports in the Logistical Support of the National Struggle.” OMU Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences faculty member Prof. Dr. Önder Duman presented “Atatürk’s Samsun Days,” while OMU Faculty of Education faculty member Prof. Dr. Serpil Sürmeli discussed “Atatürk’s Havza Days.”

The speakers evaluated the historical importance of Samsun as the starting point of the National Struggle, the social reflections of the independence process, and the national will that emerged in Anatolia on the road to the Republic from different perspectives.

The panel attracted considerable interest from participants, and emphasis was placed on the importance of addressing historical events in the light of documents and academic studies.

“Traces of the First Step Through Documents: Atatürk’s Arrival in Samsun” exhibition attracted great interest

Following the panel, protocol members visited the photo exhibition titled “Traces of the First Step Through Documents: Atatürk’s Arrival in Samsun,” opened in the AKM foyer area. The exhibition, which presented the struggle for independence initiated by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s arrival in Samsun through historical documents, attracted strong interest from participants.