site.btaTurkish Republic Centenary: between Tributes to Ataturk and Solidarity with Palestinians

Mustafa Kemal, who would later adopt the surname Ataturk, proclaimed the Turkish Republic 100 years ago, on October 29, 1923. The new secular independent State was founded on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire facing the values of the West. The founding father of the Republic ushered in radical reforms that abolished the caliphate, replaced the Arabic script with the Roman alphabet, gave women the right to vote, and adopted European laws and codes.

At the centenary celebrations, traditional tributes to Ataturk will be tinged by Turks' solidarity with Palestinians against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A huge number of events are planned to mark the jubilee, the most spectacular one of them being a 100-ship parade in the Bosporus, to be joined by aerobatics display of 20 warplanes. Turkish National Television and Radio said this parade will be the largest one in the history of the country's navy. 

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) - Turkey's oldest, founded by Ataturk in 1923 and regarded as a custodian of his ideas, is particular active in the observances of the anniversary in the 13 Istanbul districts under its control. 

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality has announced plans to celebrate by concerts and shows of best loved performers. Admission will be free to the events that will be staged at various locations across the city, both in open-air venues and indoors. On Friday, the Municipal Council held a special anniversary session, presided over by Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu of the CHP. 

The Bogazici International Culture, Arts and Folk Dance Festival is of the centenary programme of the Sariyar neighbourhood. Taking part are performers from Bulgaria, Greece, Moldova, Montenegro and Turkiye.  

The associations of immigrants from Bulgaria in the Avcilar and Kartal districts organize their own observances.

At the same time, for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK) and its Republic Alliance partners, the festivities are overshadowed by mourning and solidarity with the Palestinians.

The AK is organizing a huge rally in support of the Palestinians at the former Ataturk Airport in Istanbul on October 28. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will address the rally, which will also be attended by three party leaders: Devlet Bahceli of the Nationalist Movement Party, Mustafa Destici of the Great Union Party and Fatih Erbakan of the New Welfare Party, along with business people, cultural figures, educators, members of the media and numerous citizens. 

For the time being, the Presidency of the Republic has not announced an official programme of celebrations. In empathy with the Palestinians, the Presidency has cancelled a reception it traditionally hosts on the occasion. 

The incumbents have drawn fire from Erdogan critics on account of this policy.

"Certainly, there should be a rally of solidarity with the Palestinian people rather than with Hamad, but why it should take place on October 28, which will eclipse the centenary of the Republic on October 29," commented columnist Murat Yetkin.

The opposition daily Sozcu splashed a headline: "Had Not Ataturk Founded the Republic, Today's Turkiye Would Have Been Like Gaza".

"Citizens, streets and squares have rallied for a befitting celebration of the centenary of the Republic without which Turkiye would not have existed," analyst Deniz Zeyrek observed.