The Republic of Türkiye turns 100 years

The week of October 29, we shall celebrate, through various events to be held at home and abroad, the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye.

For an ambassador, such a special national celebration is not an event to be organised and witnessed even once in a lifetime, given that neither professional nor ordinary human life may be that long.

We will be with our Kenyan friends on that unique occasion, and we will find a new energy for further improving, in every field, our nations’ already developing cooperation.

Turkish-Kenyan relations still offer much potential to develop, and it is our common debt to our people to work together in that direction, for our mutual benefit.

One hundred years ago, on October 29, 1923, Türkiye proclaimed the Republic, not only as a new State but as a gigantic transformation project in all areas of life of Turkish society, extending to the future, to be kept constantly active.

The proclamation of the Republic constituted a natural extension, a finalisation of Türkiye’s fight for her very existence following the victory in the Turkish War of Independence during which the Turkish Nation chose to take her destiny directly and irreversibly into her own hands. It also marked the beginning of a new and inevitable journey towards freedom, development and prosperity.

The enlightened leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk opened a new, honourable, hopeful era in the Nation’s life. This impetus, this motivation was carried from 1923 to 2023, and the Republic of Türkiye achieved much, developed much, and succeeded much.

The second century of the Republic begins with the motto “Türkiye Yüzyılı” – The Turkish Century. It constitutes a new impetus for Türkiye and the Turkish Nation. It shall build upon the achievements of the Republic’s first century. The aim is another leap forward in all areas of the Nation’s life.

It is based on universal values, ethics and constructiveness. It is to benefit all through friendly, cordial, cooperative, and productive relations.

What has been achieved until the start of the Republic’s second century enables Türkiye to efficiently follow this direction. The “Turkish Century” thus aims at serving a better “Century of Humanity” in terms of freedom, justice, peaceful co-existence, dedicated cooperation and increasing co-prosperity.

This understanding has so far characterised and will increasingly define Türkiye’s relations with other countries of our world. Respect, equality and creativity in cooperation are the main pillars of this understanding. Without them, no effort in international relations may be truly, sustainably fruitful.

In fact, Kenyan-Turkish relations’ development since its beginnings has amply proved the validity of this line of thought, as it produced and promoted friendship, mutual understanding and a spirit of cooperation. The two big countries, the two great, creative, hardworking, constructive and peace-loving people’s friendship and cooperation, may only benefit them and their neighbours, and regions in a broader context.

Yet, it is a fact that however the common will has been there for a long time, there is still much work to do for further developing our countries’ cooperation, in particular as regards trade and investments, health and tourism, culture and sports.

Given the Kenyan and Turkish potential, there are myriad possibilities to identify and harness. The fact that there is much work to do is in fact fortunate. It motivates us further.

We are aware that every step ahead, every concrete improvement, will translate into the two nations’ common gains that would be felt in everyday life.

On the occasion of the beginning of the second century of the Republic, let us work harder, let us achieve more, let us start also a Turkish-Kenyan Century on a win-win basis – join our power and ideas, complement each other, and let us better serve to the prosperity of our two great Nations together.

Read more here: https://static.nation.co.ke/pdfs/Made-In-Turkey-100-Years-DN2A.pdf

The writer is the Turkish Ambassador to Kenya.