Quotes

Sample quotes either by or about Mustafa Kemal Ataturk:

“Freedom consists of man’s ability to do what he thinks and desires without any influence or intervention by others. This is the broadest definition of the concept. Mankind has never attained liberty to this extent and never will because as is known, men are creations of nature and nature itself is not absolutely free either; it is subject to universal laws.”
Ataturk c.1930

“The Republic of Turkey has no official religion. In the administration of the state, all laws and regulations are enacted and applied in accordance with the basis, the form and the mundane needs science provides to contemporary civilizations. Since the concept of religion relates to personal conviction, the republic considers the separation of religious ideas from state and world affairs and from politics as the principle factor in the success of the contemporary progress of our nation.”
Ataturk c.1930

“The Turkish state is secular. Every individual reaching majority is free in choosing his or her religion.”
Ataturk c.1930

"We are not taking up Western civilization saying let’s make an imitation. The things that we see as good and suitable for our own structure we are adopting for the level of world civilization.”
Ataturk c.1928

“Religion is an issue of conscience. Everyone is free to conform to the commands of their conscience. We show respect for religion. We are not against a way of thinking or thoughts. We are only trying to not to mix religious affairs with the affairs of the nation and the state. We are avoiding reactionary actions that are based on evil intent and deeds.”
Ataturk c.1926

“Every individual has the rights and freedoms to think what he wants, to believe what he wants, to possess a political opinion that is unique to himself and to undertake or not undertake the requirements of the religion he has chosen. No one’s ideas or conscience can be dominated.”
Ataturk c.1925

“Our religion is the most reasonable and natural of all, and that is the reason why it is the most recently established religion. For a religion to be natural it must conform to reason, science, technology and logic. Our religion fully conforms to all of these.”
Ataturk c.1923

“A nation without art has lost one of its lifelines”
Ataturk c.1923

“I lived in such fear of losing you my little Mustafa. When news came of your death sentence my heart failed me and I took to my bed. Upon my prayer mat I prayed to God. But now I am happy. The grief and fear have passed. You have won, you have saved your country…you have founded a new State. Being a woman of this nation I too understand what we owe you.” Zubeyde, Ataturk’s mother

"Ataturk's death is not only a loss for the country, but for Europe is the greatest loss, he who saved Turkey in the war and who revived a new the Turkish nation after the war. The sincere tears shed after him by all classes of people is nothing other than an appropriate manifestation to this great hero and modern Turkey's Ata."
Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

"Had Ataturk been alive the second world war would not have been fought"
Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

"The genius of our century - centuries rarely produce a genius. Look at this bad luck of ours, that great genius of our era was granted to the Turkish nation."
David Lloyd George, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

AN UNIQUE EVENT IN HISTORY
"In no other country have women advanced this rapidly. It is truly a unique event in history for a nation to change to this degree."
Daily Telegraph Newspaper, England