The 16th Contemporary Youth Traditional Martyrs' Memorial Çanakkale Gathering was held on Saturday, April 26, organized by the Contemporary Youth Central Unit and the ÇYDD Çanakkale Branch, with contributions from the ÇYDD Central Executive Board.

The event was attended by nearly 2,500 members and students from 79 ÇYDD branches. Among the participants were ÇYDD President Prof. Dr. Ayşe Yüksel, members of the Central Executive Board, and dedicated ÇYDD volunteers.

The all-day event began with a visit to the Çanakkale Martyrs’ Memorial, followed by a moment of silence and the Turkish National Anthem in memory of the fallen. The Address to the Youth by Atatürk was recited aloud by all participants.

The program continued with speeches by ÇYDD President Prof. Dr. Ayşe Yüksel and Çanakkale Branch President Prof. Dr. Kenan Kaynaş. A declaration prepared by Contemporary Youth was read on behalf of the Contemporary Youth Central Unit by General Facilitator Gökçe Gazaloğlu.

The event concluded with a visit to the Atatürk Monument at Conk Bayırı.

Prof. Dr. Ayşe Yüksel: “We Will Keep Working Until We Repay Our Debt to the Republic”

In her speech, Prof. Dr. Ayşe Yüksel emphasized their unwavering commitment to protecting the secular Republic of Turkey in the light of Atatürk’s principles and revolutions. She stated that they are indebted to the Republic and will continue working tirelessly until that debt is repaid.

“Being in Çanakkale evokes a special emotion. Despite all adversities, our soldiers achieved a great victory here under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. We are fortunate to have been born in the secular Republic of Turkey that the Great Atatürk established through years of dedicated work.

With his foresight, he envisioned the future even back then and called upon our youth, saying, ‘Oh Turkish Youth!’ Dear young people, as our Great Leader said, ‘The strength you need lies in the noble blood running through your veins.’

For 36 years, we at ÇYDD, inspired by the power of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, have been fighting to protect and carry forward the secular Republic he entrusted to us. We continue this mission with 117 branches, 9 representative offices, and over 26,000 members. As our unforgettable President, Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, once said, every educated woman, every man, and every child in this country owes a debt to the Republic.

In this regard, we will continue to work to repay our debt to the Republic.”