Türkiye to Mark 10th Anniversary of Failed July 15 Coup

More than 200 events planned across Türkiye and abroad to mark 10 years since failed coup attempt

By Abdullahi Yusuf

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will lead nationwide commemorations marking the 10th anniversary of Türkiye’s failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt, with more than 200 events planned across the country and overseas to honour those killed resisting the putsch and reaffirm support for democratic governance.

The main ceremony, themed “Our Will, Our Victory,” will be held at Başkent Millet Garden in Ankara and attended by Erdogan, senior government officials, veterans, relatives of those who died during the attempted coup and members of the public.

The programme will commemorate those who lost their lives during the events of July 15 and recognise the role of civilians and security forces in defeating the attempted overthrow of the government, according to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.

Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said the anniversary would serve as an occasion to honour the country’s “martyrs” and veterans while reaffirming the importance of the national will.

“We will remember our cherished martyrs with mercy, gratitude and prayers, express our gratitude to our heroic veterans, and once again declare together that no power can stand above the national will,” Duran said in a statement.

He described the public resistance to the attempted coup as a defining moment in Türkiye’s democratic history.

The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said more than 200 commemorative events would be held across all 81 provinces, including exhibitions, panel discussions, documentary screenings, concerts, theatrical performances and educational programmes.

Museums in 54 provinces will host special activities, while major museums in Ankara and Istanbul, including the July 15 Democracy Museum, the Republic Museum, the Ethnography Museum, Hagia Sophia History Museum, the Maiden’s Tower Museum and the Museum of Islamic Science and Technology History, will organise exhibitions, discussions and cultural performances.

State opera and ballet companies will also stage productions inspired by the events of July 15, alongside poetry recitals and art exhibitions.

Commemorative events are also scheduled to take place outside Türkiye through the country’s diplomatic missions and cultural institutions.

Programmes are planned in the United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Finland, France, South Korea, the Netherlands, Sweden, Japan, Poland, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkmenistan, Greece and several other countries.

The Yunus Emre Institute will organise events at Turkish cultural centres abroad, while the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) will host photo exhibitions, documentary screenings, tree-planting activities and other remembrance programmes in countries including Albania, Azerbaijan, Palestine, Somalia, Tunisia, Yemen, Moldova and Colombia.

Religious activities will also form part of the anniversary.

The General Directorate of Foundations said special prayers would be held in 253 central mosques across Türkiye in memory of those killed during the failed coup attempt.

In addition, 2,520 students receiving foundation scholarships for religious education are expected to complete a full recitation of the Holy Qur’an, amounting to 2,520 recitations dedicated to those who lost their lives.

Failed coup attempt

On July 15, 2016, elements within the Turkish military attempted to seize power, deploying tanks, fighter jets and armed personnel in Ankara and Istanbul.

The Turkish Parliament and other state institutions came under attack as President Erdogan called on citizens to take to the streets to oppose the coup. Security forces and civilians confronted the plotters, and the attempt was defeated within hours.

According to Turkish authorities, 252 civilians and members of the security forces were killed and more than 2,700 people were injured.

Türkiye says the coup was orchestrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO), led by the late US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who died in October 2024.

Following the failed coup, parliament designated July 15 as Democracy and National Unity Day, observed annually to commemorate those who died defending the country’s constitutional order.

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