Turkey marks 90th anniversary since becoming a Republic

The celebrations of the Turkish Republic’s 90th Anniversary were kicked off today with a ceremony at the Anıtkabir mausoleum of the nation’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in the capital Ankara.

After President Abdullah Gül laid a star-and-crescent wreath of red and white carnations on Ataturk’s tomb, he stood with other attendees for National Anthem.

“As we approach our country’s centennial anniversary, our gains [and successes instill a sense of] pride in us, [as we bear witness to Turkey’s] rise in all fields and its development as a global center,” Gul’s entry in the special guestbook at Anıtkabir said.

The ceremony was attended by numerous other state and military officials including Parliament Speaker Cemil Çicek, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Constitutional Court President Hasim Kilic, General Staff Chief General Necdet Özel, and opposition party leaders.

Turkey’s Republic Day Anniversary on Oct. 29 is the commemoration of the proclamation of the Turkish Republic in 1923.