The Istanbul leg of the “4 Cities 4 Places 4 Akif Symposium,” organized under the patronage of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM) in cooperation with five universities, was held at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University under the title “Days of Captivity in the Capital and Mehmet Âkif Ersoy.” The program addressed Mehmet Âkif’s role during the War of Independence, his intellectual world, and his literary legacy.
Within the scope of the “4 Cities 4 Places 4 Akif Symposium,” organized under the patronage of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye in cooperation with Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (İZÜ), Ankara Social Sciences University (ASBÜ), Balıkesir University (BAÜN), Afyon Kocatepe University (AKÜ), and Kastamonu University (KÜ), the session titled “Days of Captivity in the Capital and Mehmet Âkif Ersoy” was held at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University.
The program was attended by İZÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Küçük, ASBÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Musa Kazım Arıcan, BAÜN Rector Prof. Dr. Yücel Oğurlu, İZÜ Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Erhan İçener and Prof. Dr. Nihat Erdoğmuş, İZÜ Secretary General Dr. Fatih Hasdemir, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences Prof. Dr. İbrahim Güran Yumuşak, former İZÜ Rector and Faculty member Prof. Dr. Ahmet Cevat Acar, as well as many academics and students. The program, carried out in cooperation with the İZÜ Mehmet Âkif Ersoy Center for Arts, History, Literature and Civilization Research and Application, examined Mehmet Âkif Ersoy’s days during the War of Independence and his support for the Turkish War of Independence. His intellectual world and the unique legacy he left to the Turkish nation were evaluated by experts in their fields.
DOĞAN: “WE TRIED TO APPROACH AKİF AS AN ATLAS OF VALUES”
Program Coordinator ASBÜ faculty member Dr. Gazi Doğan stated that they set out with the question of “How can we introduce Âkif to future generations?” while preparing the second edition of the symposium. Framing the event with the words, “In order for this country not to have to write a new Independence Anthem, we must firmly place our national heroes in the understanding of young generations,” Doğan said they centered Âkif’s personality in the design of the symposium and tried to present an “atlas of values.” Recalling that last year focused on the concepts of resilience, foresight, and determination, he noted that this year the main theme was Istanbul, one of the cities shaping Âkif’s personality, and his struggle against captivity.
İZÜ RECTOR KÜÇÜK: “AKİF’S STANCE REPRESENTS A NATION’S RISE AGAIN”
In his opening speech, İZÜ Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Küçük evaluated Mehmet Âkif’s stance through the concept of “captivity.” He stated that Âkif’s attitude against captivity represents the story of a nation rising again. Küçük noted that the continuation of the symposium in Balıkesir with “unity,” in Kastamonu with “courage,” and in Afyon with “determination” recalls the fundamental dynamics of the War of Independence. He emphasized that in Istanbul, under the title “Days of Captivity in the Capital,” Âkif’s unwavering will and literary genius during the occupation years were once again deeply felt, and stated that as Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University they see it as their duty to carry forward the legacy inherited from Âkif.
ASBÜ RECTOR ARICAN: “AKİF’S LANGUAGE MUST BE BROUGHT TO TODAY”
ASBÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Musa Kazım Arıcan stated that Mehmet Âkif had long been a figure who could not be sufficiently discussed, and that studying him in academia was once almost considered taboo. He noted that there were difficult periods when such a major figure—who served as a member of parliament in the First Grand National Assembly and wrote the National Anthem—was left forgotten. Arıcan emphasized that organizing such programs under the patronage of the Grand National Assembly today carries great meaning. Summarizing the process by saying, “We set out to discuss aspects of Âkif that had not been sufficiently addressed,” he pointed out the need to also discuss how to overcome new forms of “captivity” today based on Âkif’s thought.
BAÜN RECTOR OĞURLU: “NATIONS WITHOUT MEMORY CANNOT STAND”
BAÜN Rector Prof. Dr. Yücel Oğurlu stated that remembering symbolic figures like Mehmet Âkif is a necessity. He emphasized that nations that lose their collective memory cannot survive, and noted that such figures address not only their own era but also a broader civilizational vision. He stated that Âkif and similar figures sought solutions to the decline experienced in the Islamic world, and therefore his struggle is not limited to a historical period but represents a continuous intellectual and practical framework.
BOŞNAK: “AKİF IS A KEY FIGURE FOR UNDERSTANDING HISTORICAL BREAKS”
Panel moderator İZÜ faculty member Prof. Dr. Metin Boşnak highlighted Mehmet Âkif’s intellectual importance, stating that fault lines in Turkish history still affect the mindset today and are felt at the social level. He emphasized that understanding Türkiye’s present requires looking into the past, and in this process Mehmet Âkif is one of the key reference figures.
AYVAZOĞLU: “SEFAHAT CAN BE READ AS THE NOVEL OF THE OTTOMAN COLLAPSE”
In the “Days of Captivity in the Capital and Mehmet Âkif Ersoy” session, writer Beşir Ayvazoğlu noted that Âkif’s poetry gained a clear direction especially after the Balkan Wars, forming the intellectual foundation of the Independence Anthem written years later. He stated that Safahat can be read not only as a poetry book but also as a literary account of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. He also said that Âkif’s failure to write his memoirs is an important loss, as it would have provided a broader perspective on the Armistice period. Emphasizing the importance of the generation he called “Asım’s generation,” he stated that these poems are key sources for understanding the spirit of the era.
KOÇ: “AKİF IS A POET WHO TELLS OUR STORY”
Prof. Dr. Turan Koç, Director of the İZÜ Mehmet Âkif Ersoy Center, stated that Âkif was a poet with a strong command of language and style, where rhetoric and fluency were at the highest level. He noted that Âkif’s poetry is shaped by a balance between conscience and reality, stating, “His conscience seeks balance with reality, but his heart always prevails.” He emphasized that Âkif’s poetry tells a collective story rather than an individual one, saying, “Âkif tells us—our story.” He also highlighted the deep sorrow Âkif felt over the loss of territories, while noting that he never surrendered to pessimism.
SAMSAKÇI: “AKİF PUT HIS ART AT THE SERVICE OF HIS NATION”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Samsakçı of Istanbul University stated that Âkif’s role in the War of Independence was not limited to his poetry, highlighting the important mission of the journal Sebilürreşad. He emphasized that Âkif lived not for personal gain but in line with his values, summarizing this by saying, “Âkif lived for his sacred values, not for himself.” He added that Âkif almost abandoned poetry by putting his aesthetic power entirely at the service of his nation.
The program also featured a musical performance titled “Melodies from Âkif’s Language,” in which works composed from Mehmet Âkif’s poems were performed by Prof. Dr. Mehmet Öncel, Head of the İZÜ Music Teaching Department, Ministry of Culture artists Can Gülbal and Emin Esen, and Dr. Bedirhan Büyükduman.