March 18 Martyrs' Day Ceremony held at the Turkish Martyrs' Cemetery in Piraeus
A commemoration ceremony was held at the Turkish Martyrs' Cemetery in Piraeus as part of the March 18 Martyrs' Day and the 108th anniversary of the Çanakkale Naval Victory.
The ceremony, attended by Türkiye's Ambassador to Athens Çağatay Erciyes, Athens-Pireaus Consul General Mustafa Somuncu, military attachés and members of the diplomatic mission, started with a moment of silence in front of the martyrdom monument.
In his speech at the ceremony, Erciyes said, “Our Çanakkale victories are the epic proof that the Turkish nation can overcome any obstacle for the sake of independence and freedom, despite the hardships and impossibilities. It has been a source of inspiration for our nation and all oppressed nations.”
Pointing out that, as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 41 Ministry officials have been martyred in heinous terrorist attacks in various parts of the world since 1973, Erciyes said, “As the Embassy of Athens, we remember the memories of our martyrs Undersecretary Ömer Haluk Sipahioğlu, Press Attaché Çetin Görgü, Administrative Attache Galip Özmen and his beloved daughter Neslihan. we carry it in our hearts. We will never forget them.”
After the speech, white and red carnations were left on the graves in the cemetery.
After the Turkish Martyrdom of Piraeus was established as a Muslim cemetery in 1859, it was given to the Ottoman Empire by the Municipality of Piraeus on March 24, 1890. The cemetery gained the identity of a martyr with the burial of those who were taken to Athens as captives in the Balkan, First World, and Independence Wars and who died.
