Flags were lowered to half-mast after the declaration of national mourning for 7 days due to the earthquakes that occurred in Kahramanmaraş and affected 10 provinces.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that 7 days of nationalmourning was declared due to the earthquakes that took place on February 6, 2023.
Following President Erdogan’s statement on Sunday, February 12, 2023, our flag will be hoisted at half-mast in all our national and international embassies.
The flag at 50. Yil Park, one of Turkey’s largest flagpoles, was lowered at half-mast in Ankara.
WHAT IS NATIONAL MOURNING?
National mourning are days of mourning and commemoration performed by the majority of a country’s people.
Nowadays; It is announced by governments on the occasion of the death, funeral or anniversary of an important person or persons from that country or elsewhere. In addition, nationalmourning can be declared after a natural disaster, disaster, accident, war or terrorist attack in a country.
The halving of flags and a minute’s silence are common rituals.
WHY IS THE FLAG BOXED ON NATIONAL MOURNING DAYS?
The tradition of halving the flag began in the 17th century. According to some sources, the basis for lowering the flag is to make room for an “invisible flag of death”.
The Turkish flag is lowered at half-mast from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every November 10, between 09:05 and sunset, in memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who died on November 10, 1938. At other times, the government may decide to lower the flag at half-mast during nationalmourning or as a sign of respect for the memory of prominent figures in Turkish politics.
When such a decision is taken, all government buildings, workplaces, public schools and military bases lower their flags at half-mast.
While the flag is never lowered at half-mast under any circumstance in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, the flag is only lowered at half-mast on November 10 at Anıtkabir, where Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s grave is located. The flag to be hoisted must first be raised to its full height and then lowered to half the pole.
WHEN WAS THE LAST NATIONAL MOURNING ANNOUNCED?
A day of nationalmourning was declared in Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 29 June 2016 for those who lost their lives in the 2016 Atatürk Airport attack.
