Turkish parliament speaker commemorates national poet

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Parliament Speaker Binali Yildirim on Wednesday issued a message commemorating poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, author of the Turkish national anthem.

"He was a monument of faith who instills in our nation, whose territories had been occupied, the spirit of patience and persistence," said Yildirim, marking Ersoy's 82nd death anniversary.

The message added: "He was never skeptical that we will gain victory against the enemies who have attacked our independence and liberty."

Ersoy, a Turkish-Albanian poet, was born in 1873 during the Ottoman era in Istanbul's Fatih district.

In 1921, in the wake of World War I, during Turkey’s War of Independence against foreign occupation, Ersoy wrote the Istiklal Marsi (Independence March).

It was written to encourage the army and motivate the nation. The new founded two years later in 1923, adopted the poem as its national anthem.

In addition to being a poet, Ersoy was an author, academic, and member of parliament. He passed away in 1936.

Ersoy, known in Turkey as the “national poet,” is also known for his 1911 poetry collection Safahat. His poetry explored themes of numerous problems faced by society, as well as faith-related issues.