Your Excellency Ambassador Ece Acarsoy, Excellencies, Dear Colleagues, members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured and pleased to be with you here today on the 101st anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Türkiye.
I want to thank all of you for attending our Reception in such large numbers on this special day.
It is a day that resonates deeply in the hearts of millions, a day when the Turkish people, under the visionary leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, took control of their destiny and laid the foundation for a modern, independent and democratic state.
One hundred and one years ago, on October 29, 1923, after many years of struggle, sacrifice and a fierce battle for freedom, the Turkish Grand National Assembly declared the birth of the Republic.
Today is a commemoration of the enduring values of the Republic, democracy, secularism and national unity.
We always remember the founders of Türkiye; the heroes, soldiers, statesmen and ordinary citizens who sacrificed so much to give us the country we live in today.
Dear guests,
101 years of the Republic of Türkiye also means 101 years of Turkish-Swiss friendship. Switzerland, whose population consists of almost a quarter of people with foreign roots, is today also home to more than one hundred and eighty thousand Turks and people of Turkish origin. We are happy to see that this population enriches the existing cultural mosaic of Switzerland.
The Turkish community in Switzerland is well integrated into the local society and has many success stories. As an integral part of Swiss society, they make a major contribution, and I am firmly convinced that this will continue to the same extent in the future.
I am also pleased to see that Türkiye is becoming a more and more popular destination for Swiss people, with its wonderful nature, history, language, art, culture and cuisine.
We, as the Consulate General in Zürich, will continue to do everything in our power to strengthen these relations.
I would like to thank you once again for joining us and wish you all a pleasant evening.
Happy 101st anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye. Long live the Republic!
Thank you.