The Turkish Embassy in Cairo hosted a memorial ceremony honoring Mehmet Akif Ersoy, Turkey’s national poet and the author of the country’s Independence Anthem, marking the 89th anniversary of his death and highlighting his enduring cultural and historical ties with Egypt.
The event brought together more than 100 guests, including Egyptian cultural and artistic figures, journalists, and students of the Yunus Emre Institute, reflecting the poet’s continued resonance across borders. The commemoration underscored Ersoy’s role as a symbolic bridge between Turkey and Egypt, where he spent a significant part of his life.
During the ceremony, the Yunus Emre Institute delivered a comprehensive presentation on Ersoy’s life, intellectual world, literary works, and the years he spent in Egypt. As part of the program, Turkey’s national anthem and Ersoy’s renowned poem “To the Martyrs of Çanakkale” were recited in both Turkish and Arabic, emphasizing the shared cultural memory between the two nations.
Ersoy lived in Egypt for nearly a decade, residing primarily in Helwan, where his former home still stands today. He taught Turkish language and literature at Cairo University and maintained close relationships with leading Egyptian cultural, artistic, and political figures of his time.
His daily journeys between Helwan and Cairo often included visits to El Fishawy Café in Khan El Khalili, a historic gathering place for intellectuals. Ersoy also traveled extensively across Egypt, visiting Aswan and Luxor, which inspired several of his poems. Among his closest friends in Egypt was Abbas Halim Pasha, grandson of Muhammad Ali Pasha and a former Ottoman minister.
Speaking at the ceremony, Turkish Ambassador to Egypt Salih Mutlu Şen said that Turkey’s national struggle was not won by armed resistance alone, but also through faith, moral strength, and spiritual unity.
“The Independence Anthem, written by Mehmet Akif Ersoy, is the text that reflects this spirit most powerfully,” the ambassador said.
Şen noted that during the years of Turkey’s war of independence, Ersoy traveled across Anatolia delivering speeches in mosques to inspire unity and resistance. He described “To the Martyrs of Çanakkale” as one of Ersoy’s most important works, symbolizing the epic struggle of the Turkish nation during the First World War.
The ambassador added that the Independence Anthem represents the rebirth of the Turkish nation and its return to the historical stage, stressing that Ersoy’s words continue to illuminate Turkey’s future. He concluded by expressing gratitude to Egypt for hosting and embracing Ersoy during his final years.
Born in Istanbul on December 20, 1873, Mehmet Akif Ersoy grew up in a scholarly family. His father, Sheikh Mehmet Tahir Efendi, was a teacher at the Fatih School and played a decisive role in shaping his son’s intellectual path. Ersoy mastered Arabic, Persian, and French at an early age and later studied veterinary medicine, while maintaining a deep engagement with literature and education.
Ersoy’s significance extends beyond literary excellence. He is regarded as the voice of the Turkish national conscience, with poetry that inspired resilience, unity, and moral strength during times of struggle.
His most famous work, the Independence Anthem, was adopted by the Turkish parliament on March 12, 1921, becoming a lasting symbol of Turkey’s fight for freedom and sovereignty.
From 1923 onward, Ersoy spent winters in Egypt before settling there permanently in his later years. Alongside his efforts to translate the Qur’an, he devoted himself to teaching at Cairo University’s Faculty of Arts. In 1933, he published his final book, “Shadows”, in Cairo, the seventh volume of his poetry series Safahat.
Several of Ersoy’s poems were translated into Arabic during his lifetime. In 1932, Egypt’s Al-Ma‘rifa magazine published Arabic translations of the Independence Anthem and “The Nightingale,” followed by “To the Martyrs of Çanakkale” and “In Luxor.”
More than a poet, Mehmet Akif Ersoy remains a defining national figure whose words captured the ethical values, faith, and determination of the Turkish people, leaving a legacy that continues to resonate in Turkey and beyond.
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