Darüşşafaka Family in the Presence of Atatürk on the 100th Anniversary of Our Republic

On the occasion of the 100^th anniversary of our Republic, the Darüşşafaka Family visited the Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at Anıtkabir, his eternal resting place.

Darüşşafaka people once again showed their commitment to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Türkiye and the pioneering leader in education, and to the values of the Republic during the visit which was also attended by 220 new students, including 100 from the earthquake-stricken region, who have been enrolled at Darüşşafaka Schools this year.

During the visit to Anıtkabir (Mausoleum), the eternal resting place of the Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, on the 19^th of October, Thursday, Darüşşafaka Family, which consists of Oğuz Güleç, the President of the Board of Directors of Darüşşafaka Society; Deputy Presidents Erman Süsler, Zeynep Necipoğlu, Mustafa U. Demirci; Board Members; Darüşşafaka Sports Club President Abdurrahman Saruhan; Darüşşafaka Association President Burak Alkan; our alumni; our donors; Darüşşafaka teachers and students, expressed and reaffirmed their commitment to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the values of the Republic.

Private Ledger of the Mausoleum was signed by Oğuz Güleç, the President of the Board of Directors of Darüşşafaka Society. Güleç wrote the following in the Private Ledger of the Mausoleum:

“Our Great Leader, Our Glorious Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,

As Darüşşafaka Family, we are honored, dignified, and proud to be in your presence in this special year in which we celebrate the 100^th anniversary of our Republic - of which you are the founder-, the 150^th anniversary of Darüşşafaka Schools, and the 160^th anniversary of Darüşşafaka Society.

The Republic of whose foundation you declared on the date of 29 October 1923 by saying “The most appropriate government, most suitable to the Turkish nation’s nature and traditions, is the Republic.” is the greatest legacy and an indispensable treasure bequeathed to the Turkish nation. It is our duty to maintain this treasure for generations and carry it forward, always forward, and we, all of us, owe it to this land of ours.

In accordance with the principle of ‘Equality of Opportunity in Education’, Darüşşafaka Society, one of Türkiye’s first non-governmental organizations in the field of education, has been contributing substantially since 1863 to the raising of a generation with ‘free in mind, free in conscience, and free in wisdom’ as described by you.

At our “home of compassion”, we provide education at international standards and raise thinking, questioning, and self-confident individuals who are aware of their responsibilities towards our society and benefit our nation. While doing this, we take inspiration from your revolutions and principles. We teach our children that their first duty is to forever protect and defend the Turkish independence and the Turkish Republic, and we ensure that they receive a modern and deep-rooted education.  

Our goal is to reach and further exceed the highest level reached by the world under the guidance of reason and science, within the framework of the indivisible integrity of our country and the immutable principles of our constitution. We are striving hard for this. We are well aware that no power can stand in front of our nation when we stand united, one heart and one body, under our flag.

On this occasion, I would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to all our benevolent donors, including your Venerable Mother Zübeyde Hanım, your Sister Makbule Atadan and your adopted daughter Nebile İrdelp, who have brought our Darüşşafaka into existence and secured its future, and I would also like to take this opportunity to note that we always keep fresh fruits available for our children as per your Precious Mother’s will. They made it possible, may they be blessed!...

My dear Atatürk, we are grateful for the bright path you have prepared for our country. On behalf of our community, I offer my deepest respect and love.”

Then, the Darüşşafaka family placed a wreath at Atatürk’s mausoleum and observed a moment of silence.

Prior to the ceremony at the mausoleum, a delegation from Darüşşafaka visited the State Cemetery and commemorated Darüşşafaka commanders Major General Yusuf İzzet Met and Lieutenant General Kemalettin Sami Gökçen, as well as Darüşşafaka donors General Abdurrahman Nafiz Gürman and Major General Selahattin Adil, and placed wreaths on their graves.

In the 100^th anniversary of our Republic, we would like to thank the entire Darüşşafaka Family for their continued commitment to the principles and revolutions of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in the hope of a bright Turkey.