* Government to hold more than 200 events across Türkiye and abroad to honour martyrs and celebrate democracy
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will on Wednesday lead Türkiye in commemorating the 10th anniversary of the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt with a nationwide programme aimed at honouring those who lost their lives defending the country’s democracy and reaffirming the nation’s commitment to constitutional governance.
The landmark commemoration, themed “Our Will, Our Victory,” will take place at Başkent Millet Garden in Ankara and will be attended by President Erdogan alongside senior government officials, veterans, families of the martyrs and thousands of citizens.
According to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate, the event will commemorate the public resistance that defeated the coup attempt and celebrate what authorities describe as the triumph of the national will over forces seeking to overthrow the democratically elected government.
Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said the anniversary programme would provide an opportunity for the nation to remember the martyrs with prayers and gratitude while expressing appreciation to veterans who risked their lives to defend democracy.
“In the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day 10th Anniversary Special Programme, which will be held with the participation of our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, we will remember our cherished martyrs with mercy, gratitude and prayers, express our gratitude to our heroic veterans, and once again declare together, in the strongest possible terms, that no power can stand above the national will,” Duran said.
He added that the “epic struggle” demonstrated by the Turkish people on July 15, 2016 would continue to be remembered as a defining moment in the country’s democratic history.
More than 200 commemorative events planned
Beyond the main ceremony in Ankara, Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism has announced more than 200 commemorative activities across all 81 provinces and in several countries abroad.
The programmes include museum exhibitions, panel discussions, concerts, stage performances, documentary screenings, religious gatherings, cultural displays and educational activities designed to preserve the memory of the failed coup attempt and promote democratic values.
Museums in 54 provinces will host special events, while major museums in Ankara and Istanbul, including the July 15 Democracy Museum, the Republic Museum, the Ethnography Museum, Hagia Sophia History Museum, Maiden’s Tower Museum and the Museum of Islamic Science and Technology History, will organise exhibitions, panel discussions and musical performances.
State opera and ballet companies will stage productions inspired by the events of July 15, while art exhibitions, poetry recitals and cultural performances will be held throughout the country.
International commemorations
The anniversary will also be observed outside Türkiye through programmes coordinated by Turkish diplomatic missions and cultural institutions.
Activities are scheduled in the United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Finland, France, South Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden, Japan, Poland, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkmenistan, Greece and several other countries.
The Yunus Emre Institute will organise commemorative events at Turkish Cultural Centres abroad, while the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) will hold photo exhibitions, documentary screenings, tree planting projects and other remembrance activities in countries including Albania, Azerbaijan, Palestine, Somalia, Tunisia, Yemen, Moldova and Colombia.
Religious observances
Religious activities will also form a significant part of the anniversary.
The General Directorate of Foundations will organise special prayers in 253 central mosques across the country in memory of the 253 people who lost their lives resisting the coup attempt.
In addition, 2,520 students receiving foundation scholarships for religious education will each complete a full recitation of the Holy Qur’an, amounting to 2,520 complete recitations dedicated to the souls of the martyrs.
Remembering July 15
On the night of July 15, 2016, a faction within the Turkish military attempted to overthrow the government by deploying tanks, fighter jets and armed personnel in Ankara and Istanbul.
Key government institutions, including the Turkish Parliament, were bombed during the attempted takeover, while civilians responded to President Erdogan’s call by taking to the streets to resist the plotters.
The coup attempt collapsed within hours following widespread public resistance and the intervention of security forces.
According to Turkish authorities, 252 civilians and security personnel were killed while more than 2,700 others sustained injuries during the events.
Türkiye attributes the failed coup to the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), led by the late United States based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who died in October 2024.
Following the defeat of the coup attempt, the Turkish Parliament designated July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day, an annual national observance dedicated to honouring those who defended the country’s democratic order and remembering the sacrifices made during one of the most significant events in modern Turkish history.
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