On the occasion of the 104th anniversary of August 30 Victory Day, the panel titled “August 30 Victory Day: An Epic, A Nation, and the Spirit of Victory” was held on August 31, 2026, at the Silivri Campus of Istanbul Rumeli University.
Organized jointly by Istanbul Rumeli University, BDU International Business People and Diplomats Union, CDBA Civil Diplomacy Association, RUBASAM Rumeli Balkan Strategic Research Center, RUPAM Istanbul Rumeli University Global Politics Research and Application Center, and Film-San Foundation, the program addressed the historical significance of the August 30 Victory, the Turkish nation’s struggle for independence, and the national spirit and values embodied by Victory Day.
Guests Welcomed at the Rectorate
Prior to the program, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Süleyman Özmen, Director of RUPAM, welcomed the invited guests and participants arriving at the university campus.
Following this, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kara, Rector of Istanbul Rumeli University, received the guests at the Rectorate, where he held a brief meeting and conversation with the participants.
At 1:00 p.m., lunch was served to the guests and participants, while the official program commenced at 2:00 p.m.
Lunch
Moment of Silence and the Turkish National Anthem
The program began with a one-minute moment of silence in memory of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his comrades-in-arms, and all our martyrs, followed by the singing of the Turkish National Anthem, İstiklal Marşı.
Emphasizing the spirit of the Turkish War of Independence and the significance of the August 30 Victory, the program continued with a poetry recital by artist Arzu Yetiş Kocatepe. The poetry recital was followed by the opening speeches and panel discussions.
Moderator:
Dr. Büşra Özdemir Özel (Research Assistant, Istanbul Rumeli University)
Speakers:
1) Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kara (Rector, Istanbul Rumeli University)
2) Musa Karademir (Founding President, BDU and CDBA)
3) Prof. Dr. Cezmi Eraslan (Faculty Member, Department of History, Faculty of Letters, IU)
4) Ret. Gen. Dr. Hüsmen Akdeniz (President of the Academic Council, RUBASAM)
5) Uğur Kıvanç Terzioğlu (General Manager, Film-San Foundation)
6) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Süleyman Özmen (Director, RUPAM)
The Historical and Contemporary Meaning of August 30 Throughout the panel, various dimensions of the August 30 Victory were discussed, including its place in Turkish history, the concept of independence and national sovereignty embodied by the Turkish War of Independence, the significance of the victory in collective memory, its meaning for contemporary Türkiye, and its place in culture and the arts. The panel emphasized that the August 30 Victory represents not only a military achievement but also the determination of a nation to protect its independence, sovereignty, unity, and freedom.
The “August 30 Victory Day: An Epic, A Nation, and the Spirit of Victory” Panel concluded with a Certificate of Appreciation Ceremony, followed by a family group photograph.
