Celebration of bravery and national unity -Ambassador of Turkiye in Sri Lanka

The Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye to Sri Lanka and Maldives Demet Sekercioglu observed 15th July Democracy as National Unity Day at her residence followed by cocktails.This day is dedicated to honour the bravery, national unity, and the lives of those who died in the failed coup d’etat for democracy of 2016 she said.

Susil Premajayantha Minister of Eduction and President and members of the Sri Lanka Turkiye Parliamentary Friendship Association and Member of Sri Lanka Turkiye Parliamentary Friendship Association were present. She was the epitome of elegance in a local batik dress and made efforts to talk to everybody who were present.

The ambassador said’ Today, we stand together to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the failed coup attempt that took place on 15th July 2016. Surely, it is a date forever etched in our hearts as the Democracy and National Unity Day. I believe that 15th July should not just be remembered as a day of a thwarted coup attempt, but rather a victory day where citizens emerged victorious from a war between traitors and patriots.

In her emotional speech she mentioned that brave citizens of Türkiye gave a very powerful message to the world that the power to shape a nation’s destiny lies not in the barrel of a gun, but in the hand that casts the ballot. This powerful message of democratic will and the unwavering commitment of our citizens stands as a beacon of hope, not just for us, but for all nations striving to uphold the values of democracy and unity.

She mentioned seven years have passed since Türkiye faced this most violent and treacherous attacks which claimed the lives of 251 innocent souls and left thousands wounded. The tragic events that unfolded on July 15th were not merely acts of terror; they were a blatant affront to the founding principles that define the Republic of Türkiye and its people – the principles of democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.

In fact, these attacks targeted the very symbols of our sovereignty and Republic. The Grand National Assembly, the Presidential complex, the building of the National Intelligence Organization, the edifices of the Turkish National Police, and the Headquarters of the Police Special Operations Department situated in Ankara, were all targets of the ruthless attacks.