As part of the 2025 commemorations for the July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day, a memorial cycling tour organized in Istanbul through a collaboration between the July 15 Association and the Turkish Cycling Federation was held under the slogan “Pedal for Brotherhood Under One Flag.” Approximately 500 cyclists participated in the event.
Organization and Route
The cycling tour was planned under the coordination of the Istanbul Directorate of Youth and Sports. The route, which began at the Taksim Atatürk Cultural Center, lasted approximately one hour. Cyclists followed the routes through Harbiye, Nişantaşı, Mecidiyeköy, and Zincirlikuyu, crossed the July 15 Martyrs Bridge, and concluded the tour in front of the July 15 Memory Museum.
Security measures were implemented along the entire route during the event, with support provided by local authorities to ensure road safety and proper guidance for participants. Following the event, recitations from the Qur’an were performed and prayers were offered. Certificates of remembrance were distributed to all participants.
Purpose and Significance
The primary objective of the event was to honor the resistance shown against the coup attempt of July 15, 2016, and to keep the collective memory alive. Istanbul Governor Davut Gül stated in his remarks that such initiatives are carried out to “keep the spirit of July 15 alive,” combining commemoration with celebration. While remembering the 253 individuals who lost their lives during the coup attempt, Governor Gül emphasized that the nation’s resistance had saved the state from the brink of collapse.
Participation
The tour was not limited to professional athletes; family members of martyrs and relatives of victims also took part. Among the participants were citizens who came with their children, as well as siblings of those who had been killed. Participants stated that taking part in this event was both a responsibility and a spiritual duty for them. Additionally, some participants made statements drawing attention to human rights violations in other regions such as Gaza, adding an international dimension of awareness to the event.
Ceremony and Conclusion
At the conclusion of the tour at the July 15 Memory Museum, recitations from the Qur’an were performed and prayers were offered. Certificates commemorating the day were distributed to participants. Security and organizational arrangements were carried out smoothly throughout the event.
