The unifying power of our founding leader

The whole world has once again understood what our Founding Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk means to his nation, his unforgettable nature, his indispensability, and his unifying power. 

The Super Cup final match, which was planned to be played in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, was called off just as it was about to start. The Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe teams returned to Istanbul in a hurry. 

The first uproar broke out on social media. Then, statements came from the authorities. When the players went onto the field for pre-match warm-up exercises wearing jerseys with Atatürk's photograph on them, Saudi authorities reacted, claiming it was not in the protocol, and banned the players from taking the field in those jerseys. Then, all hell broke loose. In response to the reaction against emphasizing Atatürk during the centenary of our Republic, the players and team officials decided not to play the match and set off to return home. 

If this match had been played under normal conditions, it might not have caused such a stir outside of sports circles. On the other hand, if it had been played despite the ban on jerseys with Atatürk's photo, it would have led to very different reactions both in our country and in the world. That would not have been good at all.

The fact that the teams rallied around our Founding Leader Atatürk and united around our country's national values has shown the whole world once again, no matter what anyone says, what a strong nation we are and how deeply connected we are to each other. 

As always, there are those who want to drag this event into the contentious arena of politics. For politicians, every event, situation, and topic is material for their own political displays. There were those who went on television channels and said, 'What was the need to polarize the public by wearing jerseys with Atatürk's photo?' I would like to say to them here: Atatürk is our Founding Leader and our eternal unifying value. If this country has seen so many coups, political crises, and economic crises in a century, but still stands tall today, it is because Atatürk built it on solid foundations. Therefore, no one should be allowed to make Atatürk a tool for their own pragmatism. 

On the other hand, I would like to say that I am not at all pleased with some political actors and parties using the Cup Match incident as material for political gain. I also have a word here for those who claim the incident for themselves and invite the public to the streets. Atatürk is this country's sacred value. We have seen once again that regardless of political view or belief, the entire nation becomes one when it comes to Atatürk. Our Founding Leader is too vast and above politics to fit into any political structure. 

Hundreds of experiences have been lived in this country. It is clear that when Atatürk is mentioned, when the Republic is mentioned, everything else fades into the background. As İlber Ortaylı often states, there is no other leader in the world who defies time and becomes so permanent. Leaders who stand out as political actors fade away with political fluctuations and ideological changes. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is a leader above politics. Atatürkism or Kemalism is more of a culture, an understanding, and a founding philosophy than an ideology. 

We frequently see and experience examples of how indispensable Atatürk is. Even if there are small-scale objections or political exploitation from time to time due to political pragmatism, everyone eventually turns back to Him and finds the solution in Him again. 

Our Republic has completed its full century. We are entering the second century continuing to walk on the path illuminated by Atatürk and toward the goals he set. Let us move beyond the pragmatism of daily life, put aside our conflicts and divisions, and unite to ensure Turkey's progress, strength, and transformation into a true welfare state. 

Let us evaluate the Galatasaray – Fenerbahçe Cup Match incident from this perspective. There may be different information flows from various channels regarding the incident, and misinformation, interpretations that deviate from the purpose, and pragmatism may certainly interfere with the process. After all, a crisis situation has emerged, and as is known, all kinds of information distortion are expected in crisis situations. However, all of this aside, the Cup Match has once again shown the whole world the strong foundation upon which our country and state are built. On this occasion, we have once again proven to the whole world how we rally and become one when our national values are at stake. 

The best approach is not to drag the crisis into a deadlock, but to turn it into an opportunity.