Ziya Gökalp remembered at his grave on the 102nd anniversary of his death; TÜRKSOY has declared 2026 the Ziya Gökalp Commemoration Year

Ziya Gökalp, one of the leading figures of Turkish thought, was commemorated at his grave in the cemetery of the Sultan Mahmud II Mausoleum in Çemberlitaş, Istanbul, on the 102nd anniversary of his death. The ceremony was organised by the Istanbul branch of Türk Ocakları with the support of several civil society organisations.

The programme opened with a Quran recitation, and helva was served in Gökalp's memory. His grandchildren, Assoc. Prof. Dr. A. Kutalmış Yalçın, Türkiye's representative to TÜRKSOY, and many guests attended.

Yalçın read a commemorative message from TÜRKSOY Secretary General Sultan Raev, which describes Gökalp as a system-building social philosopher, sociologist, poet and folklorist. Yalçın recalled that, on a proposal from Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, TÜRKSOY has declared 2026 the “Ziya Gökalp Commemoration Year”, a decision taken at the 41st and 42nd sessions of its Permanent Council.