ISTANBUL, Nov. 10, (Xinhua) – Tens of thousands of Turkish people flocked to streets on Tuesday across the country to mourn the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s 82nd death anniversary amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As every year, sirens started to ring throughout the country at 9:05 a.m. when the Turkish leader died, and people observed two minutes of silence, standing still wherever they were.
A grand commemoration was held in Istanbul at the Dolmabahce Palace, where Ataturk lost his life, as thousands of citizens gathered there to pay tribute.
Wearing masks and following the social distancing rule, people lined up in front of the venue to visit his room and place flowers on his bed. Local municipal teams placed numerous disinfectants at many points near the palace and distributed masks and gloves to people.
On the Asian side, citizens formed a 6.5-km long chain, also following coronavirus measures rigidly by maintaining at least two meters of distance and no holding of hands.
On the “15 July Martyrs Bridge” over the Bosphorus Strait, connecting the Asian and European parts of the city, drivers stopped the traffic, got out of their vehicles, and stood for a moment of silence.
Meanwhile, Istanbul Governor, Ali Yerlikaya and Istanbul Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu inaugurated a photo exhibition titled “Stories of Ataturk’s Photos.” “We have a leader whose photographs are shared at every moment, in our cities, our workplaces, in every environment,” Imamoglu said, noting that display aimed at revealing the hidden narratives behind each of his photos.
Ataturk declared the republic in 1923, ending the rule of the Ottoman Empire after the Independence War, and served as the first president until 1938 when he died at the age of 57.
GNA