Various commemoration programs have been held around the world to mark the seventh anniversary of the defeated 2016 coup bid by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in Türkiye.
Saturday's events took place in Serbia, Uganda, South Africa, Kenya and Pakistan.
Other commemorations also occurred in Cameroon, Belgium, Jordan, Georgia, Russia, Lebanon, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Indonesia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Colombia.
Commemorations in Western Balkans
The Western Balkan countries marked the seventh anniversary of the defeated July 15, 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye with events across the region.
The Turkish Embassy in Belgrade kicked off a conference with academics and a photography exhibition detailing the July 15 events.
In his opening speech at the conference, Turkish Ambassador Hami Aksoy said the aim of those who attempted the coup was to bring a radical conservative regime.
He reminded the attendees that thousands of people took to the streets on the night of July 15 to protect their homeland and over 252 people were martyred.
The director at the Center for National Policy, Perko Matovic, recalled that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was one of the first leaders to call Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to offer support on the night of the coup.
“Erdogan is a strong leader who defends his country against the coup attempt. Türkiye is not a regional power, it is a global power,” Matovic said.
Meanwhile, Predrag Rajic, the advisor to Serbian Defence Minister, said that Türkiye is important for the whole democratic world.
Also, the July 15 Cultural Center was inaugurated in the Serbian city of Tutin. The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) provided equipment for the centre.
Commemorations in Africa
Turkish diplomats, institutions and citizens across Africa also commemorated the country's Democracy and National Unity Day.
“The coup attempt on the night of July 15, 2016, was defeated thanks to the honourable resistance of our heroic nation and the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” Yekta Kamil Noyan, first counsellor and deputy chief of mission at the Turkish Embassy in Pretoria, said in an address.
In Uganda, Turkish Ambassador Mehmet Fatih Ak said FETO has the potential to threaten not only Turkish security but the whole world.
Uganda’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Okello Oryem told Anadolu Agency that Ankara and Kampala have excellent unshakable bilateral relations and warned that any Turkish citizen involved in subversive activities will be deported from Uganda.
Meanwhile in Kenya, officials paid tribute to those who defeated the coup by unveiling the July 15 Memorial Park-Kids Playground at a famous arboretum park in the capital Nairobi.
The Turkish Embassy in Nairobi said the initiative aims to provide a space for children to enjoy recreational activities while also honouring the sacrifices of the Turkish people for democracy.
Commemorations in Asia
TIKA on Saturday planted hundreds of tree samplings at a community park in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi to honour the people who sacrificed their lives to foil the attempted coup.
The state-run Turkish aid agency planted over 250 samplings at the park located in Karachi's southern district at a ceremony attended by the local and Turkish community members, girl and boy scouts, and media professionals.
TIKA, which has already been carrying out a string of development, health, and educational projects across Pakistan, will further develop the park as well.
Addressing the ceremony, Vice Consul General Oguz Kozanli said the martyrs of July 15 charted a new page in Türkiye's history with their blood, which will always be remembered.
