The 100th anniversary of the Republic celebrated with a reception in London
The 100th anniversary of the Republic was also celebrated in the UK. Bilal Erdoğan was a surprise guest at the reception hosted by the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to London, Osman Koray Ertaş.
Taner Bildik
A reception hosted by the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in London on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey brought together Turks living in the UK.
More than eight hundred guests attended the reception held at the Guildhall Great Hall, hosted by Ambassador Osman Koray Ertaş and his wife, Mrs. Sevcan Ertaş.
(Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to London, Osman Koray Ertaş)
In his speech, Ambassador Ertaş began by saying, "We are celebrating our centenary with great enthusiasm in London as well. Over the past century, we have struggled with great difficulties. Despite everything, thanks to the determination and hard work of our nation, we have always moved forward and continued to advance without pause along the path of contemporary civilization drawn by the great Atatürk."
Following Ambassador Ertaş's words, "As we celebrate our centenary, we commemorate with mercy and gratitude the great leader Atatürk, who left his mark not only on the world but on all of our hearts with his determination and vision," the guests filling the Guildhall hall applauded Ertaş for minutes.
A video message released by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Republic Day was also shared with the guests filling the hall.
In his message, Erdoğan celebrated Republic Day, saying, "Today, we are experiencing the excitement and pride of reaching the centenary of our Republic. At this turning point in our glorious history, we commemorate with mercy all the heroes who led the establishment of our new state, especially the founder of our Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha. I pray for God's mercy upon our dear martyrs and veterans who have watered these lands of our homeland with their blood for a thousand years."
President Tayyip Erdoğan's son, Bilal Erdoğan, and his wife, Reyyan Erdoğan, also attended the reception. Among the guests were business people living in London, artists, well-known figures from the sports world, bureaucrats, and foreign guests.
Former national goalkeeper Rüştü Reçber, who has been living in London for some time, also attended the evening with his wife, Işıl Reçber.