Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKÜ) organized a commemoration program at the Law Amphitheater, starting with a Moment of Silence and the National Anthem. Following the recitation of the Quran and a prayer for the martyrs, a documentary screening titled “Liberation of Gaziantep” took place.
Speaking at the opening of the program, HKÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli stated, “Today is December 25, 2023. Happy 102nd Anniversary of the Liberation of our Heroic City from Enemy Occupation. Due to the recent news of martyrs, our hearts are heavy, and our grief is immense. May their resting places be heaven. My condolences to our nation. We will never lose hope under any circumstances. We will continue our struggle together. The epic struggle of the people of Gaziantep 102 years ago still serves as an example to the world. The heroic struggle of the people of Gaziantep against the enemy, led by heroes like Şehit Kamil, Şahin Bey, Karayılan, and many other unnamed heroes, without any support or assistance, resisting enemy attacks heroically, earned Gaziantep the title of ‘Gazi.’ Today, what is incumbent upon us is to work with all our might, in the same spirit of struggle, to inherit these lands from our ancestors who left us, and to increase goodness on the earth. Despite all kinds of difficulties, Hasan Kalyoncu University, located in the Heroic City Gaziantep, the land of martyrs and veterans who did not give up their homeland at the cost of their lives, bravely defending against the enemy attacks, continues its work with this consciousness. The university is mobilizing all its resources to ensure that our young people, who are the guarantee of the future of our country, grow up as equipped individuals.”
During the program attended by Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Mehmet Lütfi Yola, Dean of the Faculty of Education Prof. Dr. Şener Büyüköztürk, Deputy Mufti of Gaziantep Dr. Ramazan Yıldırım, academics, and students, Dr. Lecturer Murat Erkoç delivered a conference on “From Resistance to Liberation: The Defense of Gaziantep.
