“Sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation” with the principle declared, the Republic of Turkey has reached 101 years today, leaving behind a century. Today, in times of oppression and genocides happening before the eyes of the world, the value of a nation being able to determine its own destiny through the War of Independence is much better understood.
With the strength and inspiration it draws from a thousand-year history, the Republic of Turkey, sprouting and taking root towards the future, is progressing decisively on the path to surpass contemporary civilizations.
In the past 101 years, with the spirit of unity and togetherness, and the motivation of being an independent state, we have achieved great things. In all these innovative initiatives we have undertaken, from education to culture and arts, from infrastructure to science, technology, and sports, from national and local defense industry policies to the digital transformation required by the age, from the energy sector to space studies, we have always drawn our motivation from the spirit of independence, which is the essence of the Republic. Especially today, the level our country has reached in defense industry technologies is being closely watched by all the countries of the world, instilling fear in enemies and confidence in friends.
As Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, while we strive to fulfill the regional development-focused university mission given to us in higher education strategically, we prepare our youth for the future in the most equipped way as required by being a university and act with the consciousness of fulfilling our duty in intellectual-mind defense.
In this context, besides the work we do with a focus on social contribution in agriculture and livestock, building and sustaining a university climate that supports employment suitable to the spirit of the age in intellectual, sports, cultural, and vocational education fields, equipped with new world skills, with high competitive power, having achieved digitalization and internationalization, are the goals we remind ourselves of with feelings of gratitude to our heroic nation, martyrs, and veterans on this special day, the 101st year of the Republic.
Celebrating wholeheartedly the 101st anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic, which Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk called “my greatest work”, I share my joy with all our administrative and academic staff, our valuable students with whom we walk together, our fellow citizens from Burdur, and our entire nation.
Long live the Republic.
Long live Turkey.
Prof. Dr. Hüseyin DALGAR
Rector of Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University