President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Sunday called on Turkish youth to take ownership of the country's centuries-old legacy.
Speaking in the eastern province of Mus at a ceremony marking the 947th anniversary of Battle of Malazgirt, Erdoğan said the Turkish victory nearly a millennium ago opened the doors to Europe.
"We showed the entire world what kind of a nation we are. The young people! Protect this legacy born in the past, moving forward into the future," Erdoğan said.
The Battle of Malazgirt (Manzikert) of Aug. 26, 1071 saw Seljuk Turks led by Sultan Alparslan defeat a Byzantine army and open up Anatolia for Turkish domination.
Emphasizing Anatolia's historical and geographical significance, Erodgan said: "Anatolia is a hub. If it is destroyed, neither the Middle East nor Africa, Central Asia, the Balkans, or the Caucasus will remain."
