Sunshine greeted Bilkent's Atatürk Monument when it saw the light of day on October 29. The impressive statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, was unveiled by Prof. İhsan Doğramacı, founder of Bilkent. The monument, which stands six meters high, is the work of the prominent sculptor Prof. Hüseyin Gezer.
Standing near the main entrance to the Bilkent campus, the bronze monument features Atatürk's statue facing northwest and two figures, a young woman and a young man, standing on the other side. It bears a short inscription, one of Atatürk's inspiring statements: "Biz, Medeniyetten, İlim ve Fenden Kuvvet Alıyoruz" (We Derive Our Strength From Civilization, Sciences and Arts).

The monument symbolizes Atatürk's bequest of the ideals of independence, freedom, and "science as the supreme guide" to the youth of Turkey.

The dedication ceremony held on the 77th anniversary of the declaration of the Turkish Republic started with Prof. Doğramacı undraping the Atatürk statue which had been covered with the national flag, and ended with a short address by Prof. Talat Halman who paid tribute to the founder of the Republic, to his achievements and aspirations.