Türkiye to mark coup attempt anniversary with over 200 events
Türkiye's Culture and Tourism Ministry will organize more than 200 events across all 81 provinces and in several countries abroad to mark the 10th anniversary of the defeated July 15, 2016 coup attempt.
The commemorative program includes museum exhibitions, stage performances, panel discussions, religious ceremonies and cultural events honoring the 253 people killed while resisting the coup attempt.
On July 15, 2016, a faction within the Turkish military attempted to seize power, deploying tanks and fighter jets in Ankara and Istanbul and bombing the Turkish parliament. The coup was defeated after civilians took to the streets to resist, leaving more than 2,000 people injured.
Türkiye blames the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), led by U.S.-based cleric Fetullah Gulen, for orchestrating the failed coup. Gulen died in October 2024.
Museums and performances to keep memory alive
Museums in 54 provinces will host commemorative programs, while major museums in Ankara and Istanbul will organize exhibitions, panel discussions, concerts and Ottoman military band performances.
State opera and ballet companies will stage productions inspired by the events of July 15, including Irade Bizim Zafer Bizim and Vatan Ugruna, alongside concerts featuring patriotic works.
An art exhibition titled Irade Bizim Zafer Bizim will also be displayed at the Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum from July 10 to 19.
The ministry said the events are intended to preserve the collective memory of the coup attempt, strengthen public awareness and promote the importance of democracy through cultural activities.
Events to be held in multiple countries
Commemorative programs will also take place abroad through Türkiye's cultural institutions and diplomatic missions in countries including the United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, France, Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Serbia and Greece.
The Yunus Emre Institute will organize remembrance events at Turkish cultural centers, while the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) will host photo exhibitions, documentary screenings and memorial projects in countries across the Balkans, Central Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Books, panels and Quran recitations
The Turkish Historical Society will distribute its publication, Coups in Türkiye From the Ottomans to the Republic, free of charge to universities and public institutions.
Academic panels and exhibitions will also be held in Ankara to examine Türkiye's history of military coups and the significance of the July 15 resistance.
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Foundations will organize religious ceremonies in 253 mosques across the country in memory of those killed during the coup attempt. A total of 2,520 scholarship students will each complete a full Quran recitation dedicated to the victims as part of the nationwide commemoration.
