Atatürk University Rector Prof. Dr. Ömer Çomaklı released a message on the occasion of The 18 March Çanakkale Victory and Martyrs' Day. Rector Çomaklı used the following statements in his message:

Mehmet Akif;

“What is that Dardanelles Battle? Is there any one of a kind in the world?
With the Battle the strongest armies were overrunning in fours and fives"

Çanakkale is the epic of turning a piece of land into a homeland by the glorious, faithful and courageous Mehmets, each of whom have become epic with Akif's verses, each going down in history as a hero.

It is the name of the struggle of the believers without bullets, boots, rations, and weapons against the whole world that has come together. It is the cry of young people who fell to the ground for the sake of a crescent moon, believing being stateless is worse than dying.

Although more than a century has passed, the smell of blood and gunpowder is fresh for us, the soldier who was shot, falling to the ground with his clean forehead is new; the flag is glorious, and the homeland is sacred. Çanakkale is not a battle but a great epic.

We commemorate our martyrs with gratitude and mercy, especially Commander-in-Chief Mustafa Kemal and his comrades in arms, who gave us this gift of victory.”

Prof. Dr. Ömer ÇOMAKLI
RECTOR