30.10.2026 02:26
In Güneycik Neighborhood of the Gündoğmuş district of Antalya, residents gathered in front of the primary school that was closed in 2002 because the child population had decreased and celebrated October 29. Women aged 60-70, walking with banners they had prepared themselves and Turkish flags, read poems they had memorized years ago from the podium, reliving the excitement of their primary school years.
Residents of Güneycik Neighborhood of Gündoğmuş district in Antalya celebrated October 29 Republic Day by reading poems and marching with Turkish flags in front of the village school they graduated from years ago.
Residents gathered in front of Güneycik Primary School, which closed in 2002 due to the decline in the child population in the village, experienced the joy of the holiday with banners they prepared themselves reading "Long Live the Republic," "I Was Born with the Republic, I Live with the Republic," and "Happy Republic Day."
At the event organized under the leadership of the Güneycik Village Culture and Solidarity Association, neighborhood residents carrying Turkish flags marched as they did in their student years. Participants gathered in front of the school, which was decorated with flags and balloons, took to the podium and read the poems they had learned years ago.
Retired teacher Mehmet Mesut Özyürek, a neighborhood resident, said that celebrating national holidays together gave them great happiness.
Özyürek said, "We prepared our banners, and our women aged 60-70 carried these banners. We are celebrating with pride and happiness, experiencing the same excitement we felt in our primary school years."
THE REPUBLIC WILL LIVE ON THANKS TO THESE WOMEN
Recalling that they started the celebrations last year with the April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day, Özyürek said, "Hopefully, the Republic will live on thanks to these women."
Özyürek said that months in advance, the older neighborhood residents were gripped by the excitement of celebrating the Republic and reading poems during the holiday, and spoke as follows: "Our women called me excitedly, asking, 'Isn't there a poem for me, isn't there a task for me?' Everyone here returned to their childhood. In other words, there is the same excitement of those primary school years in the sparkle in their eyes."
SHE TOOK HER NAME FROM ATATÜRK'S SISTER
Makbule Petek stated that she was 70 years old and that she got her name from Makbule, the sister of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Petek, who stated that she would read the October 29 poem that she has had memorized since primary school, said, "I was 8 years old in the 2nd grade when I read the poem. We became children again and also grew old."
Ümmühan Altınkaymak (62) also noted that they marched and relived the old days.
Emphasizing that they themselves continue the holiday celebrations due to the decline in the child and youth population in the neighborhood, Altınkaymak said that she had been preparing excitedly for days to read a poem.
MAYBE THEY COULDN'T SLEEP FROM EXCITEMENT
Ali Ertürk said that with an announcement made through the mosque loudspeaker, they invited neighborhood residents to celebrate the national holidays together.
Ertürk, explaining that they started the celebrations after the preparations, stated that the neighborhood residents experienced great excitement because they were going to read poems.