The first official ceremony for the 97th anniversary of August 30 Victory Day was held at the Atatürk Monument in Taksim.
After laying wreaths at the Atatürk Monument in Taksim, Istanbul Governor Ali Yerlikaya, First Army Commander General Musa Avsever and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu stood for a moment of silence, followed by the Turkish National Anthem. Yerlikaya, Avsever and İmamoğlu then visited the Governorate of Istanbul, where they attended celebrations.
The last of the official ceremonies was held on Vatan Avenue. The Governor, the Garrison Commander and the Mayor rode the ceremony car and greeted the citizens by waving at them. Citizens watched the parade waving Turkish flags and applauded the military and police officers' march. Famous poems by renowned Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet, “Epic of Kuvay-ı Milliye (National Forces)” and “Invitiation” were recited by the actors of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s (IMM) City Theatres. The ceremony ended with a parade of military troops.
