ANKARA (AA) - Prepared by Anadolu Agency (AA) with the contributions of Turkish General Staff, the photo exhibition of "Military Hearth-World of Turkish troops" has opened at Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, on April 23, the day to mark the 93rd anniversary of the opening of the Turkish Parliament.
Anadolu Agency made a meaningful contribution to the 93rd anniversary of the opening of the Turkish Parliament and presented the exhibition at the Anitkabir.
Previously, the exhibition was launched by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the 98th anniversary of Canakkale Sea Victory in March in the north-western province of Canakkale.
The opening ribbon of the exhibition at the Anitkabir was cut by Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, Chairman of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Kemal Kilicdaroglu, Turkish Deputy Parliament Speaker Mehmet Saglam, Turkish Deputy prime ministers Bulent Arinc, Besir Atalay and Bekir Bozdag, Turkish National Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz, Turkey's Customs and Trade Minister Hayati Yazici, Turkish Minister of Forestry and Water Works Veysel Eroglu and Board Chairman & Director General of the AA Kemal Ozturk.
Alongside ministers, MPs, Vice Chairman of the Executive Board of Anadolu Agency Salih Melek, Deputy Director General of the AA and News Academy Coordinator Ahmet Tek, member of the AA Executive Board Prof. Dr. Refik Korkusuz, AA editors and members of staff as well as military officials took part at the inauguration ceremony of the photo exhibition on Tuesday.
Speaking at the ceremony, Parliament Speaker Cicek stated that AA was holding such a meaningful job and added, "We are celebrating the 93rd anniversary of the opening of our parliament. This parliament took the decisions which managed the war of independence. With the decisions taken, Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) showed such a great heroism and achieved decisions by maintaining such success. Anadolu Agency announced the news of front-line and national struggle to our country and to the world. So, that is why, today, April the 23rd, the Anadolu Agency brought Turkish Armed Forces and Turkish Parliament together."
The photo exhibition will remain open until end of April.
AA took photographs of Turkish troops in 28 different locations, both in and out of Turkey, and worked on the project for two months with the contributions of the Turkish General Staff.
An AA team of 60 members, including correspondents, photo journalists, and cameramen, took 35,000 photographs and recorded hours long of video which reflected the military dimension of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) as well as the humanistic qualities of the Turkish troops.
AA's work displayed in a comprehensive way the Turkish troops' journey all the way from joining the TSK, to deployment, to social life, and to tough training. The natural behaviours of Turkish troops, including while shaving in the morning, sleeping, crying while hugging mom, and embracing children, were recorded by AA cameras.
190 frames shot as part of the "Military Hearth-World of Turkish troops" project have been compiled in a book and is now on sale. All income to be earned from the sale of the books will be donated to the TSK Mehmetcik Foundation.
The exhibition was previously visited by 5 thousand people in a week at the Canakkale Epic Introduction Center located as part of the Gallipoli Peninsula Historic National Park.
