Turkish officials mark 104th anniversary of Victory Day

Turkish ministers and senior officials on Sunday marked the 104th anniversary of Aug. 30 Victory Day, commemorating the country's decisive victory in the War of Independence.

In a message shared on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus described Aug. 30 as a victory through which the Turkish nation "declared to the entire world that it would never accept captivity."

Kurtulmus said Türkiye's duty today is to carry the legacy inherited from its ancestors into the future with the goal of building a stronger and more prosperous country.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also congratulated the nation on Victory Day and commemorated Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, his comrades-in-arms, martyrs, and veterans.

Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said the victory was one of the strongest manifestations of the Turkish nation's "unshakable will," stressing that Türkiye continues on its path as a strong and self-confident country whose influence is growing regionally and globally.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said the Great Victory demonstrated Türkiye's determination to live freely and independently, adding that the country would continue working toward a "fully independent, strong, and prosperous Türkiye."

Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said the will that opened the gates of Anatolia in 1071 "once again declared to the world in 1922 that these lands are the eternal Turkish homeland."

Trade Minister Omer Bolat described Aug. 30 as an exceptional day when Türkiye's struggle for independence was crowned with victory, while Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu called it "the name of the great victory written by our nation with its love of independence and freedom."

Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli, and National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin emphasized carrying the spirit of independence embodied by the victory to future generations.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Aug. 30 represented the Turkish nation's "epic resistance" against captivity, while Labor and Social Security Minister Vedat Isikhan described it as a symbol of the nation's refusal to accept subjugation.

Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Ozdemir Goktas said Aug. 30 was "not merely a date," but "a guide for our present and the direction of our future."

Youth and Sports Minister Osman Askin Bak also commemorated Ataturk, his comrades-in-arms, and all heroes of the National Struggle.

Victory Day marks the final battle in western Anatolia against Greek forces in 1922 and is dedicated to the Turkish Armed Forces.

Turkish forces fought the Battle of Dumlupinar from Aug. 26 to Aug. 30 in what is now Türkiye’s central Kutahya province, where the invading Greek army was decisively defeated.

By the end of 1922, all foreign forces had been expelled from territories that collectively became the Republic of Türkiye one year later.