Flag Week: From Incident to National Consciousness

Photo Credit: Söylemci

On January 20th, the DEM Party organized a group meeting in Nusaybin, a district of Mardin located on the Syrian border, to protest the clashes between the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) (BBC News, 2026). After the meeting was conducted, supporters of the PKK terrorist group went to the Turkish-Syrian border and brought down a Turkish flag. Following this incident, the Turkish nation reacted with great outrage by expressing their disapproval both through social media and by displaying Turkish flags in their houses as well as adorning streets with Turkish flags all over the Türkiye. A mob gathered together in Nusaybin and tried to cross the Turkish border to enter Syria to showcase their support for the PKK’s Syrian affiliate, the YPG, which was forced to retreat from areas that are occupied upon a major offensive by the Syrian army (Daily Sabah, 2026). Various people were seen hoisting down a Turkish flag on the border during the events. The national flag represents the struggle for independence and the values that unite a nation. Therefore, its removal was not only a security failure but also a deeply emotional incident for Turkish society. 

The video of the case rapidly circulated on social media platforms, and got the reaction of Turkish folk who view the flag as a sacred object. For Turkish people, the flag is the symbol of independence and sovereignty, and any action that would hurt the Turkish flag is equivalent to blasphemy. But here is the question that nearly everybody else is wondering, how can someone or a group of people be able to lower a flag in a secured zone? Is it a systemic security failure or strategic provocation? It is not okay to say that the entire state apparatus failed, rather it is more logical to think that the system is fine in general, but the people who are responsible for it failed to do their jobs properly. As in every border globally; the protocols existed, the cameras were on, and the orders were clear in the Nusaybin-Qamishli border, but the human element failed due to a lack of vigilance and the importance of responsibility in protecting national symbols popped up in every citizens’ mind. Furthermore, the possibility of strategic passivity must be considered. Was it a mistake caused by a human error, or was it a choice that is purposefully made? Sometimes, a government might command to stay back as they think keeping the peace is more significant than preventing a flag from being lowered to prevent bigger conflict and de-escalate. 

To spread awareness of the importance of the Turkish flag, the second term of the 2025-2026 academic year’s first week, 2-6 February 2026, is declared “Flag Week” to strengthen the consciousness of flag love, unity, and belonging. The Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin sent a letter to the all public and private educational institutions to highlight that national and spiritual value of the flag will be carried out in the school; school buildings will be equipped with Turkish flags; flag love themed painting, poetry, composition, poster competitions, exhibitions, artistic and cultural activities will be held (Hürriyet, 2026). 

From the perspective of a student, the act of unauthorized lowering of a Turkish flag highlights the importance of national values they learned all through their educational life. Students are taught that national symbols are substantial in terms of the protection of the country. When a security problem occurs without interference, this leads students to think about the lacknesses of their government when a crisis happens. In a young person’s mind there is not only one question that pops in their mind, they don’t just question “Who failed?” but they question “What does this incident tell about the regulations we are taught to follow?”. If the system fails or just does not act, the student may perceive a disconnect between the idealized country taught in textbooks and the reality of the world. “Flag Week” served as an important tool to make the students from nursery to high school realize and embrace the importance of their national flag. 

Writer: Zeynep Sözbilir

Works Cited

BBC News. (2026, January 22). Nusaybin’de bayrak indirme olayı: Erdoğan, Bahçeli, DEM parti ne dedi? https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cnvg29r70j7o 

Daily Sabah. (2026, January 21). Attack on flag unites Türkiye, prompts arrests. https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/attack-on-flag-unites-turkiye-prompts-arrests/news 

Hürriyet. (2026, January 29). Okullarda ikinci dönem için geri sayım başladı… Eğitime “bayrak sevgisi” temasıyla başlanacak. https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/gundem/okullarda-ikinci-donem-icin-geri-sayim-basladi-egitime-bayrak-sevgisi-temasiyla-baslanacak-43095859