Immediately following World War I, the Turkish Republic was formed in 1923 and Mustafa Kemal became its first president. He is affectionately known as Ataturk (Father Turk) for his vision for the future of Turkey. He believed that Turkey must work towards achieving equal status with the more modern and developed countries of Europe. He set forth sweeping reforms that included switching from the Islamic to the Gregorian calendar used in the West, adopting the Roman alphabet and abandoning Arabic script, setting policy on the wearing of headgear, instituted the universal right to vote, and decreed that Turks should take surnames. The devotion of the Turkish people towards Ataturk is amazing. His name and likeness can be seen almost everywhere it seems.
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