The ceremony began with one minute of silence paid for the memory of all students who passed away and recital of the Quran. Vice President Fuat Oktay congratulated the special day of teachers who work with sacrifice in all parts of the country during his speech at the ceremony.

 

Oktay said, "I am happy to be with you during this meaningful ceremony organized on the occasion of the opening of the Teachers Memorial Forest and Teachers Memorial Forest  and I would like to congratulate you on November 24 Teachers' Day."

 

Oktay commemorated Ayşenur Alkan who died during a rocket attack in Karkamış and Arzu Özsoy who martyred during a bomb attack in İstiklal Street and went on to say that:

 

"Teaching is not only a profession but also a sacred duty. Since the beginning of educational life, teachers have opened new horizons to students and encouraged them to explore new worlds. Every single teacher is a torch who works with sacrifice in every part of the country in order to educate the future generations. Children become a useful individual with the knowledge they learned from their teachers. Teacher and student relationships continue for life. We are grateful to teachers who teach from the heart, pass the Anatolian knowledge to future generations and enlighten our country."

  

Oktay said that teachers are always valued in the entire world adding that, "but our teachers sacrifice their lives when required and pioneered in the War of Independence of our country."

 

Stating that Memorial Forest and Martyr Monument are the symbols of the place of teaches in the heart of people, Oktay stated, "Every plant that will grow in this forest will survive until eternity like the generations teachers raised. The memory of martyred teachers will live in our hearts."

  

Meanwhile, Minister of National Education Mahmut Özer expressed his respects and gratitudes to the families of martyred teachers and commemorated recently martyred Ayşenur Alkan and Arzu Özsoy during terror attacks in Karkamış and İstiklal Street of İstanbul.

 

Minister Özer said: "The Republic of Türkiye will continue its blessed journey with determination, strength and by maintaining its unity and solidarity. We will join hands with 19 million 150 students and 1.2 million teachers in the first century of our Republic and teachers will continue to educate children in line with the Türkiye's Century vision announced by our President."

 

Noting that 80 thousand trees will grow in the memorial forest, Minister Özer expressed his condolences to the families of martyred teachers.

 

Following the speeches, Oktay, Minister Özer and accompanying participants prayed for the martyrs and left carnations to the Martyr Monument.

 

Message of President Erdoğan as, "May Allah bless the souls of teachers who martyred while raising our children, the guarantee of our future, who died in order to prevent attempts to silence the Azan and lower our flag. We promise to cherish your memories," was engraved in the monument.

 

Meanwhile, Minister Özer stated in this message that "I wish that Allah will bless the souls of all teachers who passed away while serving for our country throughout our old civilization such as teacher Abdülkerim who died in the Iraq from to teacher Aybüke who was martyred in Batman and I would like to express my respect and gratitude to all teachers."

 

Following the ceremony, participants planted trees in the Memory Forest.