Remembering Atatürk on November 10, 2009
Published:
November 10 brings Türkiye together in remembrance of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
More than seventy years have passed since 1938, but the ideas associated with his leadership continue to shape public life: national sovereignty, secular institutions, education, scientific thinking, and modernization.
In 2009, young people are growing up in a world transformed by the internet and global communication. Information is easier to reach than ever before. That makes critical thinking even more important.
Atatürk emphasized education and science because a modern republic cannot depend only on inherited knowledge. It must continually learn, question, and improve.
At 09:05, we stop for a moment. Then life continues. The challenge is to carry the meaning of that moment into the rest of the year.
We remember Mustafa Kemal Atatürk with respect and gratitude.