The symposium “Our Republic in Its 99th Year: Law, History and Foreign Policy” was held at Hasan Kalyoncu University (HKU).
The symposium, which evaluated historical and political events as well as legal processes, was moderated by Dr. Murat Aslan, faculty member in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences, HKU. At the symposium, which was attended in large numbers by Rector Prof. Dr. Türkay Dereli, the vice-rectors, academics and students, Prof. Dr. Enver Bozkurt, Dean of the HKU Faculty of Law, and Murat Karataş, faculty member in the Department of History at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, took part as speakers.
CELEBRATING THE 99TH YEAR OF OUR REPUBLIC IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE
Providing information about the symposium, Dr. Murat Aslan said: “Celebrating the 99th year of our Republic is truly a source of pride and a great achievement. These anniversaries offer important opportunities to look back, to take stock and to see how far we have come. As Hasan Kalyoncu University, an important centre of thought in the region, we wanted to hold a tour of ideas for this anniversary. We have come together at this symposium to evaluate the course and nature of the events that took place in the 99th year of our Republic.”
WE ARE ONE OF THE FIRST 30 COUNTRIES TO HAVE PROCLAIMED A REPUBLIC
Joining the symposium online and sharing important information on the study of the history of the Republic, faculty member Murat Karataş said: “This week we are celebrating the 99th year of our Republic. The proclamation of the Republic on 29 October 1923 was a period of transition from government by assembly to a parliamentary process. As a legacy of both the Ottoman State and the National Struggle, the Republic means that the people have a say in governance through the electoral systems the Republic of Türkiye has experienced to date. Finally, noting that we are one of the first 30 countries to have proclaimed a Republic, I once again celebrate the 99th year of our Republic from Çanakkale.”
THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT OF THE STATE OF TÜRKİYE IS A REPUBLIC
Prof. Dr. Enver Bozkurt, Dean of the HKU Faculty of Law, who described the historical process of constitutions, said: “We all know that the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) opened as of 23 April 1920. After this date, without the 1876 Constitution being repealed, a 23-article Constitution was drawn up in 1921. On 29 October 1923, a very important amendment was made with Law No. 364. The provision of Article 1 clearly states: ‘The form of government of the State of the Republic of Türkiye is a Republic.’ The republic, whose 99th year we are celebrating this week, was introduced as the form of government on that date.”
News: Mustafa KANLI /HKU
