With love from Turkiye

BY Zanita Careem

To celebrate Turkiye 100th Anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye the Ambassador for the Republic of Turkiye hosted a largely attended reception at the Galle Face Hotel. The grandeur of the evening, the resonance of the patriotic anthems of Turkiye and Sri Lanka and the profound words from the Ambassador of Turkiye, Demet Sekercioglu and chief guest, Sri Lankan Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Affairs, Wijedasa Rajapakse, guest of honour Susil Premajayantha, Minister of Education and leader of the House created an atmosphere of unparalleled significance.

The reception was not just an event, it was a testament to the unity, strength and cultural richness that the grandeur ofthe republic of Turkiye offer. . The resonance of the patriotic anthems between both countries and the profound speeches created an atmosphere of unparalleled significance. The reception held at the Grand Ballroom of the Galle Face Hotel was not just an event, it was a testament to the unity, strength and cultural richness that define the Republic marking it as an extraordinary milestone

Amid these stirring speeches, the night was adorned with glamour and glitz, well attended by diplomats, members of parliament,and other dignitaries.

Address by Ambassador R. Demet Sekercioglue on the occasion of the celebrations of the 100th Anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye It gives me immense pride and honour to welcome to celebrate a monumental milestone in the history of modern Türkiye.

A hundred years ago, on 29 October 1923, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish War of Liberation, surrounded by his comrades and parliament members, proclaimed the Republic, declaring that “the sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation.”

Kanchana Rajapakse from the embassy

PLO representative in Sri Lanka with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Sabry

Through his visionary reforms, the military genius who also proved to be an exceptional statesman laid the foundations for a strong Republic, which a century later emerges as a pillar of strength and stability in a turbulent region.

Contrary to popular belief, Atatürk did not seek to replicate Western civilization but to build a strong democratic, secular, and modern state while preserving the unique character of the Turkish nation.

Today, Türkiye: is counted among G20 countries.

Emerges as the second-largest army of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Has built a strong national defense industry. Steadily becomes an energy hub. Provides shelter to millions fleeing war-affected regions. Stands as the most generous country in terms of humanitarian aid compared to her GDP.

T ürkiye pursues an enterprising and humanitarian foreign policy in line with her founding principle, “Peace at home, Peace in the world,” in order to resolve crises, establish peace, stability, cooperation, and share prosperity in her region and beyond.

The Ambassador of Turkiye Demet Sekercioglu making the keynote speech

The Ambassador of Turkiye Demet Sekercioglue, , Atif Sekercioglu with daughter

She tirelessly works to find peaceful solutions to the wars in Syria and Ukraine and spares no effort to stop the unprecedented atrocities in Palestine.

While consolidating her strategic locations around the world, Türkiye, through her “Asia Anew” initiative, also looks forward to strengthening her cooperation with Asian countries, many of which she has historical relations with.

In fact, it is well-known that relations between Turks and Sri Lankans go back long before the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Ottoman Empire and Ceylon in 1864 when the First Honorary Consul of the Ottoman Empire was appointed in Colombo.Later on, the young Republic of Türkiye was among the first countries to recognize the independence of Sri Lanka in 1948.

So, 2023 is not just a year individually important for Türkiye and Sri Lanka, as we respectively celebrate the centenary of the Republic of Türkiye and the 75th year of the independence of Sri Lanka; it is also an important milestone in our bilateral relations.

Indeed, 2023 also marks the tenth anniversary of the establishment of our Embassy in Colombo and the tenth anniversary of the launch of our national flag carrier, Turkish Airlines’ flights between Istanbul and Colombo with a stopover in Male.On this historic occasion, I am proud to announce that Turkish Airlines’ first direct flight landed in Colombo this morning.

I am confident that this new arrangement will make a significant contribution to the Sri Lankan tourism market at a very crucial time and contribute to further developing our economic relations.

As we embrace the “Türkiye Century” I also firmly believe that our people-to-people ties, which have proven their strength by supporting each other during challenging times, most recently during the earthquake that struck Türkiye earlier this year, will continue to prosper in the years to come.

Long live Türkiye-Sri Lanka Friendship!

Pix by Thushara Athapaththu