A commemoration program was held in Artuklu district of Mardin on the occasion of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.
According to the statement made by the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, a commemoration program was held in the conference hall of the Provincial Directorate within the scope of July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day.
The program started with the recitation of the Holy Quran and a video showing what happened during the FETO coup attempt was shown.
In her speech at the program, Deputy Governor Büşra Uçar Koyun stated that the beloved nation, who took to the streets with the historical call of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against the treacherous coup attempt targeting the state and the nation, showed a unique example of courage.
Explaining that the treason attempt was eliminated with the courage of the nation, the sacrifice of the security forces and the determined stance of the state, Koyun said:
"Not only was a coup prevented that night, but a barrier was once again set against those who tried to attack the national will, with the spirit of our ancestors. Our dear nation wrote another unforgettable epic in history in golden letters by protecting its homeland and democracy at the expense of its life. That night, we showed the unshakable faith in Akif's verses to the whole world once again."
Stating that Mardin is an ancient city where different languages, religions and cultures have lived in peace and brotherhood for centuries, Koyun continued as follows:
"The greatest strength of these lands is unity, solidarity and mutual respect. The spirit of July 15 is the strongest expression of this understanding of brotherhood. Our duty is to protect the legacy of our martyrs, never forget the sacrifices of our veterans, and leave a legacy of love of homeland, national unity, awareness of solidarity and awareness of democracy to our young generations. May God protect our state and our beloved nation from all kinds of dangers. May our unity, solidarity and brotherhood be permanent."
Family and Social Services Provincial Director Murat Karaarslan emphasized that July 15 was not only a painful night in history, but also a turning point where courage, sacrifice and the consciousness of being a nation emerged in the strongest way.
Karaarslan stated that, as the Ministry, they believe that the strongest structure that keeps the society alive is the family, and said:
"Strong families create strong individuals, and strong individuals create a strong society. It is our common responsibility to keep the feeling of national unity and solidarity alive and to convey the love of homeland, democracy awareness and our common values to our children and young people. Our martyrs' relatives and veterans are the most valuable trusts of our nation. Our state continues to stand by them today, as it did yesterday. We, as the provincial directorate, consider it our duty to make their lives easier and to be with them whenever they need, with the social services we offer. This is meaningful. "On this day, I commemorate all our beloved martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the survival of our country with mercy, gratitude and prayers, and I wish our hero veterans a healthy, peaceful and fruitful life."
15 July Democracy Martyrs, Veterans and Victims of Terrorism Association Mardin Branch President Hatice Turan Kandemir also made a speech.
The program, which included an interview with July 15 veteran Metin Özen, the award ceremony of the painting competition themed "Our Will, Our Victory", ended with a visit to the July 15 National Unity and Solidarity Day Exhibition held in the garden of the Provincial Directorate.
Mardin Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor Serkan Şahbaz, institution directors, relatives of martyrs, veterans and citizens attended the program.