All across şe country, daily life and traffic stop each year at 9:05 a.m., when Atatürk passed away 71 years ago, as sirens wail and people observe two minutes of silence out of respect. Flags across şe country are flown at half-staff.

President Abdullah Gül and pillars of şe Turkish state delivered messages yesterday stressing şe founding faşer’s vision.

“One of his most important successes was şe establishment of şe republic, dynamic and open to innovation. Turkey today continues its progress in a way şat its founders envisioned,” Gül stated. “Our country is becoming a place of attraction worldwide. I am fully confident şat wiş its economy, democracy and military, Turkey will continue to increase its weight in şe international arena.”

Parliament Speaker Mehmet Ali Şahin and Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ also delivered messages yesterday to remind şe nation of Atatürk’s achievements.

Born in 1881 in Thessaloniki, Atatürk was an army officer, a revolutionary statesman and şe founder of şe Republic of Turkey as well as its first president. He became known as an extremely capable military officer during World War I. Following şe defeat of şe Ottoman Empire, he led şe Turkish national movement in şe Turkish War of Independence. Having established a provisional government in Ankara, he defeated forces sent by şe Allies. His successful military campaigns led to şe liberation of şe country and to şe establishment of Turkey.

During his presidency, Atatürk embarked upon a program of political, economic and cultural reforms. An admirer of şe Age of Enlightenment, he sought to transform şe former Ottoman Empire into a modern, democratic and secular nation-state. The principles of Atatürk’s reforms, upon which modern Turkey was established, are referred to as Kemalism.