On November 1st, 2024, the Turkish Students Association at IU hosted an event to celebrate the 101st Anniversary of the Republic of Turkiye. The event was sponsored by the IAUNRC, CELCAR, CSME, CEUS, and the IU Funding Board.
The event started with a speech by the President of the Turkish Students Association, Huseyin Amac. Then, the event proceeded with opening remarks by Professor Oner Ozcelik, chair of the Department of Central Eurasian Studies, about the importance of the day. This was followed by a video about Turkiye, and a classic Turkish Republic song, which was an anthem that was for the 10th anniversary but is still sung for Republic Day. Everyone gathered flags and sang. Afterwards, there was a lot of ethnic music, dancing, and food, as well as several games, including a trivia game about provinces of Turkey. The trivia game was played by having every table attached to a city in Turkiye, and during the game people at the table were asked about those cities (what their specific table’s city is known for, its food, etc). The event provided an opportunity for people to converse, for both learners of the Turkish language and the local and state-wide Turkish community. The event organizers also had a separate section for kids for face painting, and activities for their younger attendees. At the end, everyone sang the Turkish Republic song that was referenced earlier with flags to close out the festivities.