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Mehmet Akif Ersoy, author of Türkiye’s national anthem, the “Istiklal Marsi,” was commemorated at a ceremony at the Turkish Embassy in Cairo marking the 89th anniversary of his death, with a presentation by the Yunus Emre Institute and remarks by Ambassador Salih Mutlu Sen.
Ersoy was a poet and intellectual whose work helped shape modern Turkish national identity. He is also the author of “To the Martyrs of Gallipoli,” one of his best-known poems.
The Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) delivered a presentation on Ersoy’s life, intellectual world, literary works and the years he spent in Egypt.
More than 100 guests attended the ceremony, including representatives from Egypt’s cultural and arts circles, Yunus Emre Institute students and members of the press.
As part of the program, the “Istiklal Marsi” and Ersoy’s poem “To the Martyrs of Gallipoli” (“Canakkale Sehitlerine”) were recited in Turkish and Arabic.
Ersoy, who spent about 10 years of his life in Egypt, was said to have taught Turkish language and literature at Cairo University during that period and to have built close ties with leading cultural and political circles in the country.
It was also noted that the house where he lived in Helwan is still standing.
During his travels between Helwan and Cairo, Mehmet Akif Ersoy spent time at El Fishawi Cafe in the Khan el-Khalili district. The house where he lived at the time is still standing in Helwan. He also visited Aswan and Luxor in Egypt and wrote poems about both cities.
One of Ersoy’s closest friends in Egypt was Abbas Halim Pasha, a grandson of Muhammad Ali Pasha and a former minister of public works in the Ottoman state.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Cairo Salih Mutlu Sen said the National Struggle was won not only through arms but also through faith and strength of spirit.
Sen said the “Istiklal Marsi,” penned by Ersoy, reflects that spirit most powerfully, adding that Ersoy helped sustain public unity and awareness of resistance through sermons delivered while traveling across Anatolia.
He described “To the Martyrs of Gallipoli” as a symbol of the Turkish nation’s epic struggle at Gallipoli during World War I, and stressed that the “Istiklal Marsi” represents the nation’s rebirth.
Ambassador Salih Mutlu Sen also thanked Egypt for hosting Mehmet Akif Ersoy for many years.
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