A memorial ceremony was held for the late Founding President of the TRNC Rauf Raif Denktas, the owner of an Honourary Doctorate of the GAU.

The ceremony which was held at the Kyrenia Campus Millenium Complex began with GAU Rector Prof. Yıldırım Oner’s opening speech and a screening of a documentary on the life of the late Founding President Rauf Raif Denktas .

The ceremony which was open to the public was attended by the Chairman of the GAU Board of Trustees Memduh Erdal, Vice President of the Administration Committee Olgun Ustun, Rector Prof. Dr. Yıldırım Oner, Vice Chanchellors Ass.Prof.Dr. Sadık Ulker and Ass.Prof.Dr. Olgun Çiçek, The Head of the Health Culture and Sports Department Turkay Akpınar and many students and University Lecturers. The ceremony ended with a speech by Lecturer Demiray Doğasal.

The event was broadcast live from GAU TV.
Oner : ‘‘His biggest work The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus will live on.’’

GAU Rector Prof.Dr. Yildırım Öner gave a brief summary on the Late Denktaş’s life and emphasized that they will protect the TRNC his greatest work and ensure its eternity.

Rector Yıldırım called Denktas ‘’the big leader of a small country ‘’ but despite being from a small country he was a leader of the Turkish World.

Prof. Yıldırım Öner stated that leaders like The Late Founding President Denktas with his ‘‘Leadership , courage, his fight, determination and statesmanship’’ was a special person who held the interests of his country and people first and foremost .

Prof Oner also said that when alive the Late Denktas became a legend and a symbol identified with the TRNC.

The first wish of every foriegner coming to North Cyprus, the GAU Rektor Prof. Oner reminded us, was to visit the late Founding President Rauf Denktas and that he impressed everyone with his modest personality and flair for humour and speaking.

Prof Oner reminisced that when alive the late Denktas attended organized events at the University and that he had presented the late Denktas with the University Honourary Doctorate and then went on to express the huge sadness they as the GAU family felt for his loss and went on to offer their condolences to the Turkish Cypriots and the Turkish World.
DOĞASAL : Cypriot Turks and Motherland Turks Will Never Forget.

GAU Faculty of Education History Department Lecturer Demiray Doğasal stated that Denktas was a leader who had captured the hearts of all Turkish Cypriots and Motherland Turks with his heart full of love for man and country and that it would be insufficient to fit Denktas’ 50 year struggle into a short speech.

Doğasal gave examples on the late Denktas’struggle and the historical turning points in his life and emphasized that Denktas’ struggle was no different to the struggle Ataturk displayed for the Turkish people and further stated that Rauf Raif Denktas dedicated his life to the just cause of the Turkish Cypriots and that his thoughts and ideals will survive.