4-day Independence Road March completed

KASTAMONU

The “Atatürk and Independence Road March,” which lasted for four days, has ended on the 95-kilometer Independence Road route, where the weapons and ammunition arriving at İnebolu Port in the northern province of Kastamonu were transported to Anatolia during the War of Independence.

The Independence Road is a 340-kilometer route that starts from the İnebolu coastline and extends to the capital Ankara through Kastamonu and the northern city of Çankırı.

It was used during the Turkish War of Independence to transport ammunition from İnebolu to the front lines using horse-drawn carts. Participants walk approximately 95 kilometers of this road every year during the “Atatürk and Independence Road Walk” event, setting up camps and walking for days.

Beginning on June 9 this year with the participation of hundreds of people, the event concluded on the fourth day in the city center of Kastamonu, accompanied by gendarmerie teams.

Residences in the city center threw confetti and flowers to those who participated in the march with Turkish flags in their hands.

During the closing ceremony, Governor Avni Çakır presented participation certificates and the “Independence Road Walk Medal” to the participants.

Speaking at the program, Çakır emphasized the importance of the Independence Road, saying, “Those who walk this route truly deserve tremendous respect.”

“This route is the trace of our ancestors. We walked with a crowd more than three times bigger than last year. Road Walk Medal in your homes is one of the greatest legacies you can leave for your children. Every house in Kastamonu should have one of these medals,” the governor said.

Ayşe Kocaçolak, who participated in the walk with her 3-year-old daughter, said, “We participated in the Independence Road Walk this year as well. We also participated last year.”

“My daughter crawled last year, but this year she walked a little. Thankfully, we have completed it, and we are happy. We are a bit tired but proud.”