Türkiye remembers Atatürk on 88th death anniversary

Every November 10, a particular moment brings people across Türkiye together in remembrance. As sirens sound at 9:05 a.m., people pause in public spaces and workplaces, while motorists stop and step out of their vehicles to pay their respects to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The annual observance honors the founder and first president of the Republic of Türkiye, who died on November 10, 1938. Eighty-eight years later, the anniversary remains a day of remembrance, with commemorative activities held across the country and at Turkish diplomatic missions abroad. WHY 9:05 MATTERS Atatürk died at Istanbul's Dolmabahçe Palace at 9:05 a.m. on November 10, 1938, at the age of 57. The precise time of his death became the focal point of Türkiye's annual tribute. The moment of silence brings remembrance into everyday life. Alongside official ceremonies, people take part wherever they happen to be, turning streets, transport hubs and other public places into settings for a shared tribute. November 10 also begins Atatürk Remembrance Week, during which programs revisit his life, the struggle for national independence and the establishment of the Republic. FROM MILITARY LEADERSHIP TO THE FOUNDING OF A REPUBLIC Born in 1881 in the Ottoman city of Salonika, now Thessaloniki in Greece, Atatürk pursued a military career and gained prominence through his role in the Gallipoli campaign during World War I. After the war, he emerged as the leader of the Turkish national movement. His arrival in Samsun on May 19, 1919, marked a defining stage in the struggle for independence, followed by the opening of the Grand National Assembly in Ankara on April 23, 1920. Following the War of Independence, the Republic was proclaimed on October 29, 1923, and Atatürk was elected its first president. He remained in office until his death in 1938. His presidency brought extensive changes to education, law and public life. These included the adoption of a new Turkish alphabet in 1928 and reforms to the education system. Women gained the right to vote and stand in parliamentary elections in 1934, expanding their participation in national political life. ANITKABIR: A FOCAL POINT OF REMEMBRANCE Anıtkabir, Atatürk's mausoleum in Ankara, is a central destination for those paying tribute on November 10. His remains were transferred there on November 10, 1953, after initially resting at Ankara's Ethnography Museum. For the 2026 anniversary, Anıtkabir's administration announced that the site would welcome members of the public after the official ceremony and remain open until 10 p.m. local time on November 10. From visits to the mausoleum to commemorations held abroad, the annual observance connects the memory of Atatürk with the history of the Republic he founded. At its center remains the same precise moment: 9:05 a.m.