Organized for October 29 Republic Day, the conference examined the historical and legal developments leading to the proclamation of the Republic and the role of national sovereignty in Türkiye’s modernization.

Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) hosted a conference titled “The Republic and Its Achievements in Historical Perspective” to mark October 29 Republic Day.

The event was organized jointly by the OMU Atatürk Principles and History of the Turkish Revolution Research and Application Center and the OMU History Student Community.

Following a moment of silence and the Turkish National Anthem, the program focused on the historical development of the Republic and its achievements.

Dr. Nazlı Murzioğlu: “The Republic is also a great responsibility toward the future”

Delivering the opening remarks, Dr. Nazlı Murzioğlu, Director of the OMU Atatürk Principles and History of the Turkish Revolution Research and Application Center, described October 29 as a significant date symbolizing the determination for independence and confidence in a shared future.

Murzioğlu emphasized that universities have a responsibility to examine historical heritage through a scholarly perspective and pass it on to future generations.

“As universities and academic institutions, our responsibility is to approach our historical heritage scientifically, to question and examine it, and to transmit it to future generations,” she said.

“The Republic is not only a legacy we have inherited from the past, but also a great responsibility we carry toward the future.”

Murzioğlu concluded her remarks by thanking the participants.

Historical path toward the Republic examined

Speaking at the conference, Prof. Dr. Serpil Sürmeli of the Department of Social Studies Education at the OMU Faculty of Education provided a comprehensive overview of the historical and legal developments leading to the establishment of the Republic.

Sürmeli explained that following the Armistice of Mudros, the Turkish nation began organizing within a legal framework in response to the occupations, referring to the establishment of the Societies for the Defense of Rights and diplomatic initiatives undertaken during the Paris Peace Conference.

She described the occupation of İzmir on May 15, 1919 as an important turning point in the struggle for independence and emphasized that the liberation of İzmir became inseparable from the broader liberation of Anatolia.

Sürmeli then examined the organizational process that followed Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s arrival in Samsun, focusing on the Amasya Circular, Erzurum Congress, and Sivas Congress.

She highlighted the decisive role of national will in the independence struggle and cited the central principle expressed in the Amasya Circular:

“The nation’s determination and resolve will save the nation’s independence and the integrity of the homeland.”

Sürmeli noted that the congresses further strengthened the principle of national sovereignty during the National Struggle.

From national sovereignty to the proclamation of the Republic

Sürmeli also discussed the adoption of the National Pact (Misak-ı Millî), the occupation of Istanbul, and the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) on April 23, 1920.

She emphasized the importance of the Assembly in putting the principle of national sovereignty into practice.

Following the military and diplomatic stages of the Turkish War of Independence, Sürmeli highlighted the significance of the Treaty of Lausanne in securing international recognition of Türkiye’s independence.

She also addressed the role of the press in the period leading to the proclamation of the Republic.

Sürmeli referred to Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s interview with Austrian journalist Hans Lazar on September 22, 1923, in which he used the word “republic,” and noted that Meczî Sadrettin Sayman, a correspondent for the newspaper İkdam, reported the development on September 23.

She described this as a noteworthy episode in the history of the Turkish press.

Republic formally established on October 29, 1923

Sürmeli explained that the proclamation of the Republic on October 29, 1923, followed by the election of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk as President on the same day, formally established the new system of government.

She emphasized that the Republic represented a form of government grounded in the will of the nation.

Reflecting on its broader meaning, Sürmeli said:

“The Republic is a regime founded on virtue. In our language and culture, even the names Fazilet and Erdem (both meaning virtue) are given to our children. The Republic is a value created through the nation’s own will, belonging to the public and representing the public itself.”

The program concluded with the presentation of a certificate of appreciation to Prof. Dr. Serpil Sürmeli, followed by a commemorative group photograph.