METU students defy rector to hold graduation ceremony at 'Revolution' stadium

Photos: Twitter

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Students of the Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ/METU) on Saturday (August 6) held their own graduation ceremonies at the Devrim (Revolution) Stadium despite a ban by the rector for "security reasons."

The rector's office had announced that all faculties would hold ceremonies separately.

In defiance of the ban, students gathered at the stadium, where graduation ceremonies have been held traditionally.

Addressing thousands of people at the grandstand, a student said, "For a METU student, a graduation ceremony at Devrim is something that they dream of from the moment they step onto the campus."

After the speech, the students paraded on the stadium's track while displaying banners with messages about social and political issues, as they traditionally do.

"Our hands are not free enough to write what comes to our minds," read a banner.

"Let the TurkStat calculate our grade point averages," read another one, mocking the country's statistical authority, whose figures, especially about inflation and unemployment, are widely disputed.

"Quality education is possible in classless classes," read the banner of the foreign languages department.

"We haven't yet produced a detergent that would clean up those foundations," read the banner of the chemistry students, apparently referring to religious foundations close to the government.

Located in the capital of Ankara, METU is one of the most prestigious universities of Türkiye with a history of 76 years. (RT/VK)