Melike Pala
29 October 2026•Update: 29 October 2026
NATO Headquarters in Brussels and NATO commands across the world celebrated Thursday the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye with messages shared on their official social media accounts.
NATO shared a post on US social media platform X, featuring photographs of submarines and warships belonging to the Turkish Naval Forces.
The post extended Republic Day greetings to Türkiye, adding: "We are NATO."
NATO Allied Maritime Command also shared a photograph of Turkish Naval Forces warships sailing through the Istanbul Strait, accompanied by the message: "Congratulations & greetings to our Allies and friends in #Türkiye celebrating their National Day."
Separately, NATO's Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum shared a message in Turkish, stating: "The Republic of Türkiye shall endure forever."
NATO's Allied Joint Force Command Norfolk also shared a greeting in Turkish, saying: "Happy Republic Day, Türkiye!"
NATO Allied Air Command likewise posted a message in Turkish: "Happy 29 October Republic Day!"
Sharing a photograph of a fighter jet belonging to the Turkish Stars, the official aerobatic team of the Turkish Air Force, NATO Allied Air Command added: "We wish our Turkish friends and Allies a happy Republic Day!"
NATO Allied Land Command, headquartered in Izmir, also congratulated its host nation Türkiye on Republic Day, sharing the message: "Stronger together."
NATO Special Operations Forces Headquarters also joined the celebrations, sharing a photograph of Turkish Special Forces parachutists posing in front of a military transport aircraft.
Its message read: "Join us in celebrating our Ally Türkiye as they commemorate the Anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye."
On Oct. 29, 1923, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk proclaimed the Republic of Türkiye, formally establishing a new political order founded on national sovereignty.
The republic emerged from the Turkish War of Independence, a struggle led by Ataturk and the national movement against foreign occupation and attempts to partition Anatolia after World War I.
