Atatürk Remembered, Life Celebrated
November 10, 2010, marked the 72nd anniversary of the death of Turkey's beloved Atatürk. Bilkent University commemorated the landmark date with a program in memory of Atatürk.
The day began at Bilkent's Atatürk Monument with a moment of silence. This was followed by a Mini 
Concert, performed by Yiğitcan Özer (EEE/II), held in the Mithat Çoruh Auditorium. Yiğitcan performed Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata Op.27 No.2" (Adagio Sostenuto, Allegretto, and Presto Agitato).
During the Commemoration, Asst. Prof. Nur Bilge Criss of the International Relations Department spoke in memory of Atatürk, 
focusing on the elegance and erudition in speech, writing, and symbolic gestures which become a true statesman. She gave samples chronologically from 1913 to 1937.
Dr. Criss's tribute also points to his sense of humor. In the 1930s, when a young journalist asked Atatürk as to whether he was a dictator, the President said, "Child, if I were a dictator could you have asked this question?"