ANKARA

The ceremony of Anadolu's first News Awards was held at the Turkish Grand National Assembly on Wednesday.

Anadolu CEO Serdar Karagoz spoke at the event, hosted at the parliament’s Ceremony Hall under the auspices of parliament speaker Numan Kurtulmus.

Karagoz said Anadolu was founded on April 6, 1920 – 17 days before the opening of parliament – on the instructions of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. “In the face of imperialist propaganda, the National Struggle movement could only be organized through accurate information,” he said.

“Our agency was established to make the voice of the National Struggle heard clearly and powerfully. Today, the tools and platforms have changed, but the importance of truth has not. Anadolu continues its mission with the same determination in war zones, disaster areas, diplomatic arenas and wherever humanity’s future is at stake,” he said.

Kurtulmus said Türkiye stands “wherever there is oppression, injustice or a pursuit of justice” and works to reveal the truth. He called Anadolu “a vital institution that supports Türkiye’s global justice perspective.”

He added that one of the news agency’s key contributions has been bringing the genocide in Gaza to the forefront of the global public agenda.

The competition aims to support the growth of journalism in Türkiye, protect ethical standards and promote the production of reliable, high-quality news. This year marked the competition’s debut, with eight awards presented in three categories.