President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye stated that the great resistance demonstrated by their ancestors during the Battle of Çanakkale (Gallipoli) not only altered the fate of Türkiye but also that of oppressed nations across the world.
The statement formed part of a message issued by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marking the 18 March Martyrs' Day and the 111th anniversary of the Çanakkale Naval Victory.
President Erdoğan added that they commemorated the anniversary of the Çanakkale Victory with immense pride and profound emotion, one of the most glorious epics in the nation’s history.
Describing Çanakkale as more than a mere battle—rather, an unprecedented epic proclaiming to the whole world the nation’s faith, sacrifice, patriotism, and sense of nationhood—Recep Tayyip Erdoğan underscored that the battle fought by hearts brimming with faith at Çanakkale attests that "our nation will never surrender its freedom and independence", defining it as a historic turning point.
"The great resistance waged by our ancestors changed not only the fate of our homeland but also that of oppressed nations suffering under persecution all around the world," Erdoğan remarked.
President Erdoğan added, "Türkiye continues to march today with the same spirit and determination, harnessing the strength of this sacred legacy passed down to us by our ancestors."
In his message, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that he commemorates with mercy the martyrs who lost their lives in the Battle of Çanakkale.