Türkiye Marks 104 Years of Victory with a Message of Independence, Peace and Partnership in South Africa
Kirtan Bhana - TDS
2 September 2026
The Republic of Türkiye marked its 104th Victory Day on 30 August 2026, commemorating the decisive Battle of Dumlupınar of 1922 and the historic triumph that secured the final stage of Türkiye’s War of Independence.
In Pretoria on August 28, 2026, the occasion was marked at the Turkish Residence by Ms. K. Nilvana Darama Yıldırımgeç, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to South Africa, who hosted diplomats, government representatives, military attachés, institutional representatives and distinguished guests. The occasion was also hosted in association with Lt. Col. Erdi İSSEVEN, Armed Forces and Army Attaché of the Turkish Embassy, underlining the close relationship between the diplomatic and military dimensions of Türkiye’s engagement with South Africa.
Victory Day, or Zafer Bayramı, is one of the most important dates in the Turkish national calendar. It commemorates the decisive victory at Dumlupınar on 30 August 1922, under the command of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, which became the decisive turning point in the Turkish War of Independence and opened the way towards the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923.
The significance of the day was reflected in the Ambassador’s address, which connected the historic struggle for national independence with Türkiye’s contemporary role in international affairs.
“On 30 August 1922, the Turkish people achieved a decisive victory at the Battle of Dumlupınar,” Ambassador Yıldırımgeç told guests. “It was a turning point in our War of Liberation, achieved after years of immense sacrifice, hardship and struggle to defend our homeland.”
She paid tribute to Atatürk and his comrades-in-arms, noting that through “vision, courage and determination” they gave a nation confronting extraordinary circumstances “the confidence to believe in its future.”
The victory followed the Great Offensive (Büyük Taarruz), launched on 26 August 1922 under Atatürk’s command. After four days of intense fighting, the decisive engagement at Dumlupınar brought the military campaign to its defining conclusion.
From Independence to Modernisation
For Türkiye, the journey from the hardships of the early 1920s to the modern republic of today forms an important part of the meaning of Victory Day.
“Over the past century, Türkiye has built on that legacy by combining its historical heritage with innovation, development and a strong commitment to progress,” the Ambassador said.
She described Türkiye's transformation from a war-torn country into “a dynamic and modern state, increasingly contributing to regional and global peace, security and prosperity.”
That transformation is particularly visible in the country's defence and aerospace sector.
Ambassador Yıldırımgeç pointed to Türkiye’s increasingly sophisticated defence industry, highlighting its capabilities in research, development, design and production, as well as its expanding international partnerships.
The evolution of the Turkish defence industry gives contemporary relevance to a national day rooted in military history. Yet the Ambassador emphasised that Türkiye views defence cooperation as something considerably broader than the acquisition or supply of military equipment.
“For Türkiye, defence cooperation is not simply about capabilities or equipment,” she said. “It is also about trust, technological cooperation, knowledge-sharing and building long-term partnerships.”
That perspective provides an important context for Türkiye’s growing engagement with African countries and, in particular, South Africa.
Türkiye and South Africa: From Diplomatic Relations to Strategic Partnership
The Ambassador described Türkiye and South Africa as “two influential countries in their respective regions,” united by a commitment to dialogue, peaceful cooperation, multilateralism and a more equitable international order.
The relationship between Pretoria and Ankara has developed across multiple spheres, including trade and investment, defence and security, technology, infrastructure, energy and people-to-people relations.
Against this background, defence cooperation is emerging as one of the areas with considerable potential for deeper engagement.
The Ambassador used the occasion of Victory Day to highlight Türkiye’s participation in the forthcoming Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition (AAD 2026) in Tshwane.
“We look forward to the participation of Turkish defence industry companies and institutions in the Africa Aerospace and Defence Exhibition, to take place here in South Africa next month,” she said.
AAD 2026 will be held at Air Force Base Waterkloof in Tshwane from 16 to 20 September, bringing together defence and aerospace companies, governments, military delegations and industry representatives from across Africa and the world. The official exhibitor list includes Turkish defence company ASELSAN, reflecting the practical dimension of Türkiye’s growing defence-industrial engagement with the African market.
The exhibition also provides a natural platform for the type of cooperation highlighted by the Ambassador: not simply transactions involving defence systems, but opportunities for technological cooperation, industrial partnerships, knowledge transfer and long-term institutional relationships.
Remembering Victory While Advocating Peace
Perhaps most significantly, the Ambassador used a celebration rooted in war and military victory to deliver a message centred on peace.
“As we celebrate the Victory Day, we also remember that peace should never be taken for granted,” she said.
Against the backdrop of continuing conflicts around the world, she stressed Türkiye’s advocacy of dialogue, diplomacy, peaceful resolution of conflicts, international law and human dignity.
“Our own history reminds us that independence and peace are deeply connected,” she said.
This observation gives Victory Day a contemporary diplomatic dimension. The historical struggle commemorated on 30 August was not presented simply as a triumph over an adversary, but as the beginning of a larger national project.
“The victory we commemorate today was not an end in itself,” Ambassador Yıldırımgeç told guests. “It opened the way for the establishment of the Republic of Türkiye and for a future founded on sovereignty, development and peace.”
It is this transition—from victory to nation-building, and from national independence to international engagement—that gives the Turkish national day significance beyond Türkiye’s borders.
A Legacy Carried into the Future
Across Türkiye, the 104th anniversary was marked by official ceremonies, commemorations and military events, including ceremonies at Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Atatürk in Ankara. The Turkish Armed Forces also mark 30 August as Turkish Armed Forces Day, recognising the central role of the military in the country’s struggle for independence.
The commemoration in Pretoria became an expression of Türkiye’s contemporary diplomatic outlook and its expanding relationship with South Africa while reinforcing the multidimensional character of modern diplomacy, where political relations, defence cooperation, economic engagement, technology and people-to-people relations increasingly intersect.
As Ambassador Yıldırımgeç concluded, the occasion was an opportunity to pay tribute to “Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his comrades-in-arms, and all the heroes and martyrs who made great sacrifices for our nation and homeland throughout history.”
“May their memory always live on. May their souls rest in peace.”
For Türkiye, 30 August remains a celebration of victory. In Pretoria, the 104th anniversary also conveyed a broader message: that the ultimate purpose of national strength is not conflict, but the ability to safeguard sovereignty, promote development, build partnerships and contribute to a more peaceful and equitable international order.