Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN) Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Ulusoy attended the official ceremony held on the occasion of September 19 Veterans’ Day and the opening of the exhibition featuring works prepared by the families of martyrs and veterans through their own handicraft, in cooperation with BEUN and the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services.

Zonguldak Governor Osman Hacıbektaşoğlu, BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Ulusoy, Chairman of the Zonguldak Branch of the Turkish Association of War Veterans Necmettin Cantaş, provincial protocol, heroic veterans, families of martyrs and veterans, and students attended the program held at the Zonguldak Governor’s Office ceremony area.

The ceremony, where the martyrs were commemorated with mercy and gratitude and the veterans with respect and gratitude, began with wreath-laying at the Atatürk Monument by Zonguldak Governor’s Office, Zonguldak Municipality, Garrison Command and the Zonguldak Branch of the Turkish Association of War Veterans. Following a moment of silence and the recitation of the Turkish National Anthem, Chairman Cantaş delivered a speech on the meaning and importance of the day.

Handcrafted Works by Martyrs’ and Veterans’ Families Met with Visitors at the Exhibition

Following the ceremony in front of the Governor’s Office, the program hosted one of the most meaningful examples of university-public institution-society cooperation. The opening of the exhibition featuring ceramic works handmade by the families of martyrs and veterans was held within the scope of the “Encouragement to Art and Life through Art” project, carried out under a protocol between BEUN and the Zonguldak Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, as part of the ceramic course organized within the project.

As part of the opening, Governor Osman Hacıbektaşoğlu and his wife, Mrs. Güney Hacıbektaşoğlu, Rector Prof. Dr. Ahmet Ulusoy, Provincial Director Mehmet Türkmen Köse and members of the provincial protocol visited the exhibition and received information about the ceramic works made with the contributions of academics from Gökçebey Vocational School and through the handicraft of the families of martyrs and veterans.

Rector Ulusoy: “We Will Continue to Stand by the Valuable Families of Our Martyrs and Veterans and Produce Qualified Projects Together”

Following the September 19 Veterans’ Day ceremony and the exhibition opening, Rector Prof. Dr. Ulusoy made the following remarks:

“I sincerely celebrate September 19 Veterans’ Day of our heroic veterans who put their lives on the line for the independence of our nation, the indivisible integrity of our homeland and the sanctity of our crescent-starred flag. I commemorate all our revered martyrs, particularly Veteran Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his heroic comrades-in-arms, with mercy, respect and gratitude, and wish our living veterans healthy and prosperous lives. On this meaningful day, I would like to thank our Governor Osman Hacıbektaşoğlu, for his efforts in organizing the ceremonies. I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Necmettin Cantaş, Chairman of the Zonguldak Branch of the Turkish Association of War Veterans, who made us proud with his emotional speech at the ceremony, and to everyone who participated in this meaningful program.

As Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, we are proud to carry out projects that raise social awareness through the strong collaborations we have established with our Turkish Association of War Veterans and our Provincial Directorate. The exhibition organized in cooperation with our Gökçebey Vocational School and the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services is one of the most distinguished examples of this solidarity. These works of art created through the handicraft of the families entrusted to us by our revered martyrs and heroic veterans are worthy of appreciation.

With these thoughts, I would like to sincerely thank our academics, administrative staff, Provincial Directorate personnel who contributed to the project, and the families of martyrs and veterans who supported this meaningful work with their valuable efforts. As Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, we will continue to stand by the valuable families of our revered martyrs and heroic veterans at all times, together with our Turkish Association of War Veterans and our Provincial Directorate, and continue to carry out new and qualified projects together.”