Turkish diplomatic missions host Republic Day celebration

TIRANA, Albania / MOSCOW / GENEVA

Turkish diplomatic missions in Russia, Switzerland, and Albania hosted receptions to celebrate the 99th anniversary of Türkiye's Republic Day late on Monday.

The reception held by Türkiye's permanent mission to the UN in Switzerland was hosted at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) headquarters in Geneva.

Another celebration was held at the Turkish Embassy in the Swiss capital Bern.

In her speech at the program, Turkish Ambassador Emine Ece Ozbayoglu Acarsoy said that a republic is a project of renewal, development, and modernization in the political, social and cultural areas.

Turkish Embassy in Tirana also hosted an event to mark the day with the attendees of Albanian politicians including Parliament Speaker Lindita Nikolla and Justice Minister Ulsi Manja as well as Turkish officials.

Speaking at the reception, Turkish Ambassador Tayyar Kagan Atay underlined the deep-rooted historical ties between the two countries.

"Our social and cultural similarities brought by our common past bring our countries closer," he said, also congratulating Albania on starting EU accession negotiations.

Celebrations were also held in Moscow with a reception hosted by Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Samsar.

In his speech, Samsar recalled the nation's struggle for independence, adding that the day is an important reason for Turkish people to remember "the price our martyrs paid with their lives" during the War of Independence.

The official proclamation of the Turkish Republic by founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk took place on Oct. 29, 1923, when the name of the nation and its status as a republic was declared.

The Turkish Grand National Assembly, or parliament, then voted unanimously to make Ataturk, a revolutionary statesman, the first president of the Republic of Türkiye.

Türkiye has since celebrated Republic Day on Oct. 29.