Oct 29, 2016
Turkey National Day 2016
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Waving the country’s flag high, today’s Doodle celebrates 93 years since Turkey officially became a republic. To mark the occasion, people across the country come together to enjoy parades, speeches, and poetry readings, often leading up to a nighttime fireworks display.
Many people also lay wreaths at monuments dedicated to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the republic’s founder and first president. He wasn’t always called Atatürk, though. The name, which means “Father of the Turks,” was given to Mustafa Kemal in 1934 when surnames were first introduced in Turkey. The revolutionary is revered for his political, economic, and cultural reforms, many of which helped to modernize the country.
On Republic Day, the Turkish people not only pay homage to past leaders, but they also celebrate how far the nation has come.
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