Monday, April 6th 2026
Founded at the direction of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1920, Anadolu has grown into a global news agency, providing reliable reporting in 13 languages with an extensive international network
Anadolu, founded on April 6, 1920 at the direction of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk during the Turkish War of Independence, aimed to inform the public in the face of provocations that could undermine national unity and to announce the decisions that shaped the war. national, is celebrating its 106th anniversary.
The founding of Anadolu Agency came at a critical moment, a turning point in the Turkish War of Independence.
After the “de facto” occupation of Istanbul, intellectuals Yunus Nadi (Abalioglu) and Halide Edip (Adivar), who were traveling to Anatolia to join the resistance, discussed the idea of creating a news agency after reaching Ankara, the future capital of the Republic of Turkey, during a stop at the Geyve-Akhisar (Pamukova) railway station.
Discussing the name of the agency and considering options such as “Turk”, “Ankara” and “Anadolu”, they reached a consensus on the name “Anadolu Agency”.
According to Yunus Nadi, the idea was presented to Mustafa Kemal Pasha (later Ataturk) after dinner at the School of Agriculture (now the Directorate of of Meteorology), which served as his headquarters, on the evening of April 4 or 5. After this discussion, Anatolia was officially founded on April 6, 1920, under the guidance of Mustafa Kemal Pasha.
– Circular signed by Mustafa Kemal sent nationwide
A circular dated April 8, 1920, announcing the establishment of Anatolia in the name of the Representative Committee and signed “Mustafa Kemal”, was sent throughout the country.
The historic circular emphasized the importance of informing the local and international public about the ongoing war.
Originally written in Ottoman Turkish, it stated that due of the occupation of the imperial center and grave threats to the nation, it had become essential that Muslims be informed with accurate news during the national and holy war in Anatolia and Rumelia.
As a result, a new institution named “Anatolia Agency” was created under a special committee of authorized persons.
The circular also stated that the agency’s reports, based on verified sources, should be disseminated widely, to be posted in public places and sent to villages.
– The establishment was greeted with enthusiasm throughout Anatolia
The establishment of Anatolia created great enthusiasm in Anatolia, where people closely followed the developments related to the National War and the government in Ankara.
After Mustafa Kemal’s circular, congratulatory telegrams arrived in Ankara from all over the country, expressing their willingness to support the distribution of Anadolu bulletins.
Anadolu continued working from a room. at the School of Agriculture, which served as Mustafa Kemal’s headquarters.
Yunus Nadi later described those first days, noting that he and Halide Edip started the agency’s services in difficult weather conditions in Ankara, where they were soon joined by Istanbul MP Ali Riza Bey.
– The first news was published on April 12, 1920
Despite the difficult conditions, Anadolu began publishing its first reports on April 12, 1920.
The first newsletter described the situation in the country and emphasized the agency’s mission, highlighting the importance of distributing newsletters and creating a structured network for their regular distribution.
It included news as well. domestic as well as international.
The bulletin announced that Anadolu had embarked on a mission to provide the most accurate news to the public and called for its reports to be widely distributed, posted in telegraph offices, printed where possible and distributed to districts and villages.
– Negligence in the distribution of newsletters was considered “treason”
Anadolu attached great importance to the distribution of reports in all parts of the country. In the early period it was decided to publish at least two bulletins a day.
In a circular sent on April 18, 1920, Mustafa Kemal Pasha described any negligence in the distribution of Anatolian bulletins as a “crime against the motherland”.
Another circular dated May 5, 1920 called for the use of all means to ensure that the bulletins reached even the most remote areas, while they were required. investigations into the delays.
Measures were also taken to ensure that Anadolu reports reached not only the public, but also military units on the front line.
Anadolu Agency bulletins were also distributed in the Anatolian press to strengthen public resistance to pressure and invasion attempts by the Allied powers. Attempts were made to secretly send Anadolu reports to occupied Istanbul and to pro-independence newspapers.
By including official statements from the Ankara government, key international developments, public warnings, news from the Grand National Assembly and from the front lines, as well as responses to enemy propaganda, Anadolu bulletins fulfilled a vital need, effectively opening a second front in the War of Independence, known as “the press”.
– Anadolu Agency’s global influence continues to grow
Ranked among the most influential and respected agencies in the world, Anadolu covers real-time developments from the most active regions for its subscribers, distinguishing itself with reporting from challenging environments and powerful visual content.
Offering news, photos and videos in 13 languages – Turkish, English, Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish, Sorani, Persian, Indonesian, Bosnian, Albanian, Macedonian and Kurmanji – Anatolia is widely followed not only in Turkey but also globally.
– New Platforms for Raising Awareness
As part of its mission to become a global reference source and raise awareness, Anadolu has also introduced platforms such as “Green Line”, “Fact Verification Line” and “Discrimination Line”. subscribers.
The “Discrimination Hotline” serves as a content hub reporting on issues of discrimination, such as racism, gender inequality, hate speech, Islamophobia and xenophobia, in several languages.
Meanwhile, the “Fact Checking Hotline” contributes to Turkey’s fight against disinformation by investigating and verifying news circulating in traditional and social media, sharing findings with the public.
We use cookies to improve the experience and to display advertisements (Google AdSense).
By clicking “Accept”, you agree to the use of cookies according to
Privacy Policy
and
Cookies Policy.
You can reject non-necessary cookies by clicking “Reject”.
Source: prizrenpost
Etiketa: Brief
