"The International Symposium of the Great Offensive and the Field Battle of the Commander-in-Chief in the 100th year" is being held in cooperation with Afyon Kocatepe University (AKU) and the Turkish Historical Society (TTK), as well as with the support of the Directorate of Communications, the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History, the Governor's Office and the Municipality.
The symposium at the Atatürk Congress Centre started with a moment of silence and the National Anthem.
In her opening speech at the symposium, Afyonkarahisar Governor Kübra Güran Yiğitbaşı said that 100 years ago today, the "Great Offensive" ignited the flame of independence.
Stating that August witnessed numerous victories in Turkish history, Yiğitbaşı said, "This land, on which we live in peace, ignited the flame of independence during the Great Offensive by writing one of the greatest heroic epics the world has ever seen, and by expelling the occupying forces from the country. August is a month filled with victories for our history. Many victories were won throughout August, including Manzikert, Otlukbeli, Chaldiran and Mohacs."
Stating that the last and one of the most meaningful of these victories is the Great Offensive, Yiğitbaşı said:
"The Great Offensive is the greatest blow dealt to the enemy by a nation with no definition of captivity in its language. Against the most powerful states and armies of the time, our beloved nation devoted itself to liberty and victory and chose to become a veteran or a martyr to live independently and freely and to protect the holy land of the homeland by enduring all poverty and misery. In our struggle to protect our homeland, unity and solidarity, and our republic, many unnamed heroes such as Corporal Seyit, Nene Hatun, Captain Agah, Ömer Halisdemir, and Fethi Sekin will never end."
Yiğitbaşı noted that Afyonkarahisar, one of Anatolia's most precious and ancient cities, which played a significant role in the national struggle’s victory, was the place where the foundations of the republic were formed and solidified.
"We must maintain the spirit of the National Struggle"
President of the Turkish Historical Society Prof. Birol Çetin also stated that he commemorated the martyrs and veterans of the Great Offensive, especially Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, with mercy.
Stating that the institution is 91 years old and that, in accordance with the instructions given by Atatürk, they try to investigate Turkish history in all its aspects with scientific methods, Çetin said, "We have published around 2,100 books to date. In addition to this mission, we respond to smear campaigns abroad against our country. However, we also have another important mission. We must maintain the spirit of the National Struggle. There are many young people among us today. It is critical to keep this spirit. With this understanding, we want to share with the young people the spirit that was given to us on the 100th anniversary of the Great Offensive.
Afyon Kocatepe University Rector Prof. Mehmet Karakaş further noted that 100 years ago today, the Great Offensive was launched in Afyonkarahisar under the leadership of Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha; that on August 27, 1922, the Turkish army, acting with devotion and united with its nation and freed Afyonkarahisar from enemy occupation; and that the Greek forces were pushed from Dumlupınar to Uşak and İzmir with the Field Battle of the Commander-in-Chief on August 30.
In his speech at the symposium's opening, historian and academic Prof. İlber Ortaylı noted that Türkiye places significant importance on state tradition and gets organised rapidly.
Mentioning that each nation has its own distinct historical characteristics, Ortaylı said, "Our mission never ends. It is forbidden for us to sleep. We must work. We work our way into and out of this world. We fight to die, and we fight to live. We rise from the dead and continue to fight. Let's not forget this. This is what August 30 means."
After the conference, Governor Yiğitbaşı presented Ortaylı a plaque, and Afyon Kocatepe University Rector Prof. Karakaş also presented the President of the Turkish Historical Society Prof. Birol Çetin a plaque. The documentary prepared by the Turkish Historical Society was shown.
The symposium will end on August 28.
