Türkiye’s Erdoğan Rallies Youth to Rekindle Ottoman Spirit on Istanbul Conquest Anniversary
President celebrates 572 years of historic triumph, urges innovation and national pride in speech laced with symbolism
By Abdullahi Yusuf
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called on the youth of Türkiye to draw inspiration from the legacy of Sultan Mehmed II and the Ottoman era, blending historical reverence with a call for technological innovation.
Speaking on Thursday at a ceremony commemorating the 572nd anniversary of the 1453 conquest of Istanbul, Erdoğan praised the courage and ingenuity of the Ottomans and urged young Turks to revive that same spirit in today’s modern challenges.
“This is not just about celebrating the past,” he said, “but about carrying forward the bold vision that shaped it. From the giant cannons of Sultan Mehmed to the drones and unmanned underwater vehicles of today — innovation is our inheritance.”
The event, held in the Beykoz district, was part of a packed day for the president in Istanbul. Erdoğan observed Türkiye’s first floating gas platform pass through the Bosporus, met with Galatasaray football club players after their Süper Lig victory, and inaugurated four new millet bahçesi (public gardens) across the city.
With Turkish flags waving and the Mehter Ottoman military band playing patriotic hymns, Erdoğan addressed a crowd filled with students and supporters, saying, “I am especially moved to see so many of our young people here. The future is in your hands — and so is our history.”
He reminded attendees that the Turkish defense industry is now the 11th largest exporter globally, with domestically developed UAVs and UCAVs gaining international recognition.
“As Sultan Mehmed shattered the barriers of his time, we too must break through limitations with courage and intellect,” Erdoğan said.
A former mayor of Istanbul, the president concluded with personal reflections, saying, “Each time I return to this city, my love for it grows deeper. This is the heart of our civilization.”
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