2020-07-03 Fri

Mustafa Kemal Pasha was a revolutionary, statesman, author, and the founder of Republic of Turkey party. He was the first president of Turkey. He served as a president from 1923 until he died in 1938. He undertook progressive reforms such as secularized the nation, industrialized and modernized. His policies came to be recognized as Kemalism.

He made primary education free and compulsory. He opened thousands of schools all over the country and replaced old Ottoman Turkish alphabets by Latin based Turkish alphabet. During his presidency, women received equal civil and political rights. Women were given voting rights in 1934. Much before than most other democratic countries in the world.

He died on 10th November 1938 at the age of 57. He was honored with a state funeral. In his memory, a mausoleum was built at Ankara in 1953. The memorial building is surrounded by Peace Park in honor of his famous quote "Peace at Home, Peace in the World".

Image Courtesy: Stampsoftheworld.co.uk