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After completing the program in Ankara, participants arrived in Istanbul, where they continued to take part in the events dedicated to the Democracy and National Unity Day on July 15, which are being held in Turkey from July 14 to 18, 2025.

As part of the program organized by the Directorate of Communications under the Presidency, journalists from 81 provinces of Turkey and media representatives from 41 countries visited the "July 15 Memorial Museum" in Istanbul.

The museum is located on the Asian side of Istanbul near the Bosphorus Bridge, where the city’s residents confronted the coup plotters. The exhibition space covers 500 square meters. It displays personal belongings of those who lost their lives, vehicles damaged by tanks, documents, and video footage related to the coup attempt. One of the exhibits is the phone through which President Erdoğan addressed the nation on the night of the attempted coup. Certain sections are also dedicated to the history of coups in different countries and the politics of colonialism.

The July 15 Memorial Museum is aimed at reflection, remembrance, and preserving the memory of this historic day. In a sense, the museum’s exhibit presents the event through visualization. In this regard, digital technologies are dominant, allowing visitors to almost become eyewitnesses of the events.

In a special hall of the July 15 Democracy Museum, photographs of those who died as martyrs on that day and afterwards are displayed. Outside the museum, a monumental structure bearing the names of the fallen heroes draws visitors’ attention.

In the afternoon, the journalists were welcomed by the Governor of Istanbul, Davut Gül. The meeting took place in the main hall of the Istanbul Governor’s Office. In his speech, Governor Gül spoke about the events of July 15, 2016, and the organized structure that had been trying for years to infiltrate state institutions. He emphasized that on that night, people of all ages and social backgrounds took to the streets to defend democracy.

The governor pointed out that the organization exploited weaknesses in the education system, the religious sentiments of citizens, and charitable resources to build a parallel structure. He added that the same scheme was used in other countries through schools and business ties.

He also stressed that the coup attempt was thwarted thanks to the courage of the President of Turkey and the unity between the people and the state. Governor Gül recalled his own experience in Sivas in 2016, where he witnessed massive public support in defense of democracy. He underscored the importance of national strength and independence, stating that Turkey must rely on its own resources rather than external ones.

The event concluded with a Q&A session and a group photo of the participants with the governor.

ORIENT

Photo: orient.tm