A reception was held by the Atatürk Society UK (ASUK) premiering the documentary film ‘Mustafa Kemal’ın Sofya Yılları’ (Mustafa Kemal’s Years in Sofia) in north London on Friday 4 November.
Speaking at the opening of the gala ASUK and Atatürk World Platform president Jale Özer said, “Atatürk is a leader who changed the fate of a nation with radical changes in such a short time as if it were unprecedented in the world. Mustafa Kemal’s soldier side is a heroic epic in itself. The first way to understand Atatürk starts with examining and comprehending his system of thought, the sources of that system, his perspective on problems and solving techniques, his personality, his feelings, and his belief in his country and people.”
Attending the event Turkey’s London Ambassador Ümit Yalçın, saying a few words before and after the film screen said: “I liked the documentary very much, I was very touched. It is incredibly inspiring, encouraging and encouraging to see over and over again what Atatürk did as a military attaché in a short period of one and a half years, what he packed into this period, what kind of struggle and determination he was in…It’s incredible, and he does all this in a year and a half as a young officer,” he said.
Nahide Deniz, one of the producers of the film, gave a speech before the screening and said, “I was born and grew up in Bulgaria, where Atatürk served as a military attaché 109 years ago. During the oppressive period in Bulgaria, history books often ignored Atatürk’s Sofia years. Something has been written and drawn about his romantic friendship with the Bulgarian general’s daughter, Dimitrina Kovacheva, but this was not based on written or oral documents. Other important issues were not mentioned at all…”
Deniz was given a plate by ASUK which was presented to her by Ozer and Ambassador Yalçın.
