Various events were held in Erzurum, Erzincan, Kars, Ağrı, Iğdır, Ardahan and Tunceli on the occasion of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.
As part of the events in Erzurum, citizens came together on Cumhuriyet Street with Turkish flags in their hands.
Following the reading of the National Anthem and a moment of silence, the Holy Quran was read and Provincial Mufti Yaşar Çapçı prayed.
Governor Aydın Baruş, in his speech here, wished mercy to all the martyrs.
Stating that July 15 was one of the biggest breaking moments in the history of democracy, Baruş said:
"We are on the 10th anniversary of the blessed victory of our beloved nation against the traitors who wanted to shackle its will on July 15, 2016. I greet each of you, who have filled the squares with undiminished honor and unshakable faith for 10 years, saying 'The will is ours, the victory is ours', with my most heartfelt feelings, respect and affection."
Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mehmet Sekmen also stated that July 15 is proof that the salutes rising from the minarets are stronger than the warplanes covering the sky and said, "July 15 is the name of a blessed resurrection in which it was declared to the whole world how breasts full of faith can be a fortress against gun barrels and betrayal. Not only a coup attempt was prevented that night. Our thousand-year-old brotherhood, our call to prayer, our flag, our state and the independence of Türkiye were targeted." he said.
After the speeches, the athletes participating in the Flag Race presented the flag they brought to Governor Baruş.
Those in the square were shown the speech made by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the "15 July in its 10th Anniversary: The Will is Ours, the Victory is Ours" Program at the Capital National Garden.
The program, in which the Metropolitan Municipality Mehter Band performed, continued with poetry recitals and plaque presentations to veterans and martyrs' relatives.
Within the scope of the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day programs, the Holy Quran was read and prayers were said for the martyrs at the Terzibaba Social Complex Mosque.
Provincial protocol and citizens then visited the Garrison Martyrs' Cemetery, prayed there and left carnations on the graves of the martyrs.
At the event in Kızılay Square, the athletes participating in the "July 15 Martyrs' Commemoration Flag Run" presented the banner they brought to Governor Hamza Aydoğdu.
The program started with a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, and a prayer was made by Provincial Mufti İsmail Fakirullahoğlu.
In his speech at the event where poems were read and a documentary was screened, Governor Aydoğu said that every son of the country who took to the squares that night upon the call of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stood tall against the tanks and bullets and broke through this treacherous siege.
Stating that they have been rightfully proud of the epic written that night in the squares for exactly 10 years, Aydoğdu continued as follows:
"We have been living the rightful pride of the epic written that night in these squares for exactly ten years. Time passes, the pain eases as it is shared, but the great unity displayed that night becomes more and more ingrained in our social consciousness with each passing day. Today, 'The Will is Ours, Victory is Ours!' If we fill the squares with these words, this is much more than just remembering a pain we experienced in the past. "This stance is actually the loudest voice that we will protect our own future, our children's future and our democratic achievements under all circumstances."
Erzincan Mayor Bekir Aksun, 3rd Army Deputy Commander Major General Murat Ataç, AK Party Erzincan Deputy Süleyman Karaman, CHP Erzincan Deputy Mustafa Sarıgül, public institution directors, martyrs' relatives, veterans, students and many citizens attended the commemoration event.
A march was held in Kars on the occasion of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.
Citizens and military units who participated in the march with a 100-meter-long giant flag in their hands on the outskirts of Kars Castle came to the old Provincial Police Department building, where the coup plotters were repelled on July 15, 2016, via Atatürk and Faikbey streets.
In the program that continued with the "Our Will, Our Victory" themed vehicle convoy, Governor Ziya Polat, AK Party Kars Deputy Adem Çalkın, Mayor Ötüken Senger and protocol members greeted those who participated in the convoy.
In his speech, Governor Ziya Polat emphasized that on the night of July 15, 2016, the nation not only thwarted a coup attempt, but also showed the whole world its character that does not accept any captivity throughout history, its unwavering commitment to independence and its belief in democracy.
Drawing attention to the importance of resistance, Polat said, "Our nation, which demonstrated its faith against tanks, its courage against weapons, and its spirit of unity against betrayal, has guided its own destiny. The epic written that night is a great epic of independence engraved in golden letters not only in the history of democracy of the Republic of Turkey, but also in the glorious history of our nation. Because this nation has declared to the whole world that when it comes to the homeland, it will not bow to any threat and will not surrender to any tutelage." he said.
AK Party Kars Deputy Adem Çalkın reminded that 16 tanks and armored vehicles took to the streets in Kars and said, "There was not only a coup attempt that night, independence was targeted that night, the Turkish Grand National Assembly was bombed, our President was assassinated, the nation's tank was turned against the nation, the nation's gun was pointed at the nation. But a sentence was made that night that changed the course of history, our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: 'I invite our nation to the squares.' That sentence resonated in the hearts of millions of people because leadership means being able to share the same fate with the nation in the most difficult moment. Because leadership means being able to give courage to the nation in a night when fear spreads. Those who took to the streets with the call of our President did not just go to protect their state, their flag, their call to prayer, and their children's future." he said.
Kars Mayor Ötüken Senger also made a speech stating the meaning and importance of the day.
Events were also held in Sarıkamış and Kağızman districts of Kars.
A meal program was organized by Ağrı Governorship for the families of martyrs and veterans at the teacher's house within the scope of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.
Governor Bozkurt and his wife Betül Bozkurt visited the tables, chatted with the families and gave gifts to the children.
Then, the provincial protocol, citizens and students gathered in Abide Square and walked to the National Garden with Turkish flags.
Governor Bozkurt and his entourage visited the painting exhibition and met with citizens.
In his speech here, Governor Bozkurt said that the Türkiye Century vision put forward by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is very important.
Stating that the country continues to achieve important successes in many fields such as defense industry, education and health, Bozkurt said:
"July 15 is an emphasis on our unity and solidarity. This year's slogan is 'The will is ours, the victory is ours.' As long as we are together, we will be stronger. You know very well that July 15 was like the victories of Malazgirt, Sakarya and Dumlupınar. "When it comes to our homeland, our nation does not make any calculations, when it comes to its flag, it does not hold back, it never allows the hand reaching out to call to prayer, and that is why we say that the will is ours, the victory is ours."
Bozkurt gave awards to the athletes who achieved success in various competitions.
Non-governmental organizations offered refreshments to citizens during the program. ?
A march was held in Iğdır with the participation of Governor Mustafa Fırat Taşolar, provincial protocol and citizens. Citizens unfurled Turkish flags during the march that continued until Vali Yolu Street.
The crowd reached Governor Yolu Street and attended the commemoration program held there.
In his speech at the event, Governor Taşolar said, "We have seen many coups in this country, each of which caused this country to lose decades. The youth of this country, even the prime ministers and ministers, perished on the death row. They made brother hit brother on the streets so that they could come and stage a coup." he said.
Emphasizing the importance of July 15, Taşolar said:
"Do you know why we are happy today, why we are proud today? Because for the first time today, on July 15, the things of this mentality went wrong. For the first time on July 15, the nation celebrates its victory against the coup plotters. We gave martyrs, but we saved our country. We got rid of the coup plotting by the Western powers as they wished. We got rid of the 'buts' on the national will. We got rid of the 'buts' on the national will. In the past, there was a coup every ten years." There were people waiting, now we are free of this obsession."
The program was held in the National Sovereignty Park in Ardahan.
The program started with a moment of silence and the reading of the National Anthem, the Holy Quran was read, and Ardahan Mufti Adem Karadeniz prayed.
Governor Mehmet Fatih Çiçekli pointed out that they came together on the 10th anniversary of the July 15 coup attempt and said that on that day, the people took to the streets upon the call of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and resisted the coup plotters with their faith and love of the country.
The program, in which the events of that day were explained, continued with the reading of poems and various shows.
A relay race was held in the program and awards were given to the winners of various competitions.
After the Sela reading, participants held a democracy watch.
The program, held in the museum garden in Tunceli, started with a moment of silence, the National Anthem and then the reading of the Quran.
Governor and Deputy Mayor Şefik Aygöl made a speech here stating the meaning and importance of the day.
After the speeches, the athletes participating in the "July 15 Martyrs' Commemoration Flag Run" presented the flag they brought to Governor Aygöl.
In the program where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's speech was shown live to the participants, poems were read and a documentary was shown.
After the Provincial Mufti's prayer, a musical concert by Hatay Civilizations Choir was held in the program.
In addition, sela was recited simultaneously in mosques in all provinces at 00.13.