The key facts

  • NATO headquarters and several alliance commands congratulated Türkiye on the 103rd anniversary of the Republic on October 29
  • The congratulations were accompanied by photographs of Turkish military equipment and messages in Turkish
  • The Land Command headquartered in Izmir congratulated the host country

Congratulations from Brussels and alliance commands

On October 29, NATO headquarters in Brussels and alliance commands in various parts of the world marked the 103rd anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye with posts on their official social media accounts, Anadolu reports.

What the commands posted

The alliance itself published a post on X with photographs of submarines and warships of the Turkish Navy, accompanied by a congratulation and the phrase “We are NATO.” NATO’s Maritime Command posted a photo of Turkish ships passing through the Bosphorus Strait with a message congratulating allies and friends in Türkiye. Several commands addressed the Turkish audience in Turkish: the NATO Joint Force Command in Brunssum wrote “The Turkish Republic will exist forever,” the command in Norfolk wrote “Happy Republic Day, Türkiye!”, and the Air Command wrote “Happy Republic Day, October 29!”, adding a photo of a fighter jet of the “Turkish Stars,” the official aerobatic team of the Turkish Air Force.

Special attention to Izmir and special forces

NATO’s Land Command, whose headquarters is located in Izmir, congratulated Türkiye as the host country with the words “Stronger together.” The headquarters of the alliance’s special operations forces published a photo of Turkish special forces paratroopers against the backdrop of a military transport aircraft, calling on everyone to join the celebration of the Republic’s anniversary.

Historical context

On October 29, 1923, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk proclaimed the Republic of Türkiye, establishing a new political order based on national sovereignty. The Republic emerged as a result of the War of Independence, which Atatürk and the national movement waged against foreign occupation and attempts to partition Anatolia after the First World War.