On the 107th anniversary of May 19th, the historical and strategic process extending from the Turkish Revolution to the Blue Homeland was evaluated at Near East University with the participation of Retired Admiral Prof. Dr. Cihat Yaycı, President of the Turkish Maritime and Global Strategies Center.
The event, held at Near East University, which is among the top 500 universities in the world, assessed the historical legacy of May 19th together with Turkey’s Blue Homeland vision. Organized in collaboration with the Office of Students’ Dean, the Atatürk Thought Development Club, and the Music Club of Near East University, the event titled “The Turkish Revolution, Turkish Geopolitics, and the Turkish Blue Homeland on the 107th Anniversary of May 19th” offered a broad perspective on the Turkish Revolution and the Blue Homeland vision.
The event, held at the İrfan Günsel Congress Center, was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bilge Azgın, Head of the Public Administration Department of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences. The event featured Retired Admiral Prof. Dr. Cihat Yaycı, President of the Turkish Maritime and Global Strategies Center, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Recep Bülent Şenses, a faculty member at Near East University, as speakers.
The event, which saw a large turnout, was attended by Near East University Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Murat Tüzünkan, Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences Prof. Dr. Şerife Zihni Eyüpoğlu, Deputy Dean and Head of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration Prof. Dr. Nur Köprülü, and Head of the Department of International Relations Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sait Akşit, as well as numerous academics and students.
The event addressed international pressures on the Cyprus issue and Turkey’s struggle…
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bilge Azgın stated that May 19th is not only a historical commemoration day but also a turning point that shaped the destiny of Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot people. Azgın stated that if the National Struggle had not succeeded, Turkey would not have possessed the political and military strength to carry out the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azgın said, “If there had been no National Struggle and Turkey had been condemned to the Treaty of Sèvres, we could not speak of a Turkey that could have intervened in Cyprus on July 20, 1974.” Touching upon international pressures regarding the Cyprus issue, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azgın stated that despite all the difficulties, Turkey underwent a significant preparatory period leading up to 1974, and that a similar struggle is currently underway in the Eastern Mediterranean with the concept of “Blue Homeland.”
Speaking at the event, Assist. Prof. Dr. Recep Bülent Şenses said that May 19, 1919, holds two important meanings for Turkish history: both Atatürk’s symbolic adoption of this date and its significance as the beginning of the National Struggle. Emphasizing that this process was a struggle for independence that emerged despite all impossibilities, Assist. Prof. Dr. Şenses stated that the Turkish Revolution was an “exceptional and powerful example of will” in terms of historical conditions.
The last speaker of the event, Retired Admiral Prof. Dr. Cihat Yaycı, said that the concept of the Blue Homeland expresses Turkey’s will to protect its rights and interests in the seas. Stating that Turkish maritime history is deep-rooted, Prof. Dr. Yaycı emphasized that naval power is directly linked to the concepts of independence and sovereignty. Expressing that the Blue Homeland is not only a military but also an economic and strategic vision, Prof. Dr. Yaycı said that developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean, and Black Sea have increased the importance of Turkey’s maritime policies. He added that it is of great importance for young generations to be raised with this historical and strategic awareness.
Zafer Özbir: “The Blue Homeland is not a geography, but a declaration of will.”
Zafer Özbir, President of the Atatürkist Thought Development Club, described May 19, 1919, as “much more than just a date on a calendar”, stating, “This date is the moment a nation took control of its own destiny once again.” Emphasizing that the essence of May 19th lies in the courage to choose what is right without any guarantees or assurances, Özbir said, “This nation chose struggle, not surrender, at a time when nothing was promised to it.”
Özbir stated that the Turkish revolution was not only a political change but also a character building process, representing a stance that does not stand away from responsibility and is willing to stand alone when necessary. Highlighting the responsibility Atatürk left to the youth, Özbir said, “The Turkish youth is not only the inheritor of the Republic but also its strongest protector.”
Drawing on historical examples, Özbir stated that the Turkish maritime tradition is one of the strongest reflections of this will, drawing attention to the period from Çaka Bey to Barbaros Hayreddin Pasha. “The Blue Homeland is not a geography, but a declaration of will.” said Özbir, adding that this understanding represents Turkey’s determination to assert its sovereignty in the seas. Recalling Atatürk’s words, “We must consider seafaring as a great national ideal of the Turks and achieve it in a short time.”, Özbir stated that this vision is not only a legacy from the past but also a goal that guides the future.
