Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN) commemorated the historic epic of the Turkish nation standing up for democracy, national will, and independence once again with the conference titled “15 July on Its 10th Anniversary: Victory of National Unity and Democracy,” organized on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of 15 July Democracy and National Unity Day.
Held under the coordination of Zonguldak Governorship and hosted by BEUN at the Tahir Karauğuz Conference Hall, the program was attended by Zonguldak Deputy Governor Halis Hacıismailoğlu; BEUN Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Şenol Hakan Kutoğlu and Prof. Dr. Servet Karasu; Secretary General Prof. Dr. Zehra Safi Öz; Zonguldak Provincial Director of National Education Uygar Keskin; Zonguldak Provincial Director of Youth and Sports Halil Hacı; President of the Worker’s Union Veli Köktürk; Zonguldak Provincial Director of Industry and Technology Metin Demir; members of the provincial protocol; and academic and administrative staff.
The program began with a moment of silence and the National Anthem, followed by a recitation of the Holy Quran for the martyrs by Ahmet Can, a student of the Faculty of Theology.
Prof. Dr. Karasu: “15 July Is a Historic Epic of Our Noble Nation Standing Up for Its Will”
Delivering the opening speech of the program, Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Servet Karasu said:
“15 July is not merely an attempted coup against our democracy and homeland. 15 July was a treacherous attempt directed against the will of our nation, the survival of our state, our flag, our call to prayer, and our independence. However, that night, the Turkish nation, women and men, young and old, from seven to seventy, became one heart and stood up for its homeland and state by filling the squares. Our noble nation, armed with faith, courage, and love of the homeland against tanks, weapons, and bombs, thwarted all the traps set by the treacherous FETÖ and rendered the aims of the centers of betrayal futile. Thankfully, that night, the treacherous organization was utterly defeated in the face of the unshakable will of our nation, and the dirty hands reaching toward our democracy, national will, and independence were cut off at their roots. With these feelings and thoughts, I commemorate with mercy, respect, and gratitude, first and foremost, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our Republic; Ömer Halisdemir, the hero of our nation who changed the course of 15 July; all the martyrs of 15 July; and all our heroes who sacrificed their lives for the homeland. I express my endless gratitude to our veterans.”
Assistant Professor Dr. Şahin Discussed the 15 July Process and the Nation’s Resistance
Following the opening speech, a conference titled “15 July on Its 10th Anniversary: Victory of National Unity and Democracy” was delivered by Assistant Professor Dr. Melek Toparlak Şahin, an academic in the Department of History at BEUN Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Addressing military interventions in Türkiye’s history of democracy from a historical perspective, Assistant Professor Dr. Toparlak Şahin comprehensively evaluated the development of the treacherous coup attempt carried out by FETÖ on the night of 15 July 2016, the epic resistance demonstrated by the nation, and the impact of this attempt on Türkiye’s recent political history. In her presentation, Toparlak Şahin commemorated the heroes who were martyred in attacks targeting strategic locations, particularly Istanbul Governorship, AKOM, the TRT General Directorate, the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, the General Staff Headquarters, the Special Operations Department, the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, and addressed the FETÖ’s treacherous coup attempt in all its aspects.
During the conference, Toparlak Şahin also touched upon the reactions of the international community on the night of the coup attempt and drew attention to the determined stance demonstrated in support of Türkiye by the leaders of friendly and brotherly countries, particularly President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
At the end of her speech, Toparlak Şahin commemorated with mercy, gratitude, and appreciation Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his comrades-in-arms, the martyrs of 15 July, Ömer Halisdemir, and all the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the homeland, and concluded her speech by expressing her hope that such tragedies would never be experienced again.
Program Concluded with the Presentation of a Certificate of Appreciation
Following the conference, Zonguldak Deputy Governor Halis Hacıismailoğlu presented a certificate of appreciation to Assistant Professor Dr. Melek Toparlak Şahin for her contributions. The program concluded with a commemorative photograph.
