Prof. Dr. Zafer Gölen and Prof. Dr. Hasan Babacan attended Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Ünal's Retirement Ceremony

Head of Department Prof. Dr. Zafer Gölen and Prof. Dr. Hasan Babacan attended the retirement ceremony of one of the doyens of Ottoman Modern Age History, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Ünal, organized by Pamukkale University Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Department of History on Friday, September 26, 2025. At the ceremony, Gölen, one of the speakers on behalf of Ünal's students, said the following:

“Dear dean, esteemed colleagues, valued guests, and dear students, I am greatly honored to be here today at the retirement ceremony of our very valuable professor Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Ünal, who has made great contributions to the world of science and to us.

Today, I am experiencing one of the most proud moments of my life. The journey that began with my professor in 1988 has continued uninterrupted to this day. I have always been proud to be his student, and this will never change. He has been a guide who has directed my path for 40 years, always supporting me, and whom I have taken as an example with his knowledge and stance.

On this day when the official part of my professor's life, full of success and struggle, has come to an end, it has been my fortune to speak and describe him among dozens of his students. I am very fortunate. Although we have gathered at a retirement ceremony today, we all know that this is not a farewell. Just because the official part is over, he will not escape from us. We will continue to call him at midnight or at unexpected times. As you know, one cannot retire from being a teacher, just like being a parent.

I have always likened my professor to an alif. Always upright, without bending. He never hesitated to express his thoughts as he believed, without bending. It's as if Akif wrote these lines for him:

Since I was born, I have been in love with independence,

The golden tulip has never made me a leash.

If I am soft-headed, who said I am a docile sheep?

I may be cut, but my neck does not come to be pulled.

When I see a bleeding wound, my liver burns,

To soothe it, I take a whip, I take a kick.

I cannot say, "Ignore it and move on," I care:

I trample, I am trampled, I hold and lift the right.

I am the enemy of the oppressor, but I love the oppressed...

He paid heavy prices from time to time because he did not bend or bow. However, those who are right and defend the right stand tall. He managed to come out of all of them with a clean slate. Most either sulked at those moments or took their anger out on their surroundings. But Mehmet Ali Ünal chose the difficult path, which also set an example for us. He worked even harder, produced even more. He still continues to produce. Now, even though our professor is retired, this does not mean he is withdrawing from academia. He has taken the lead of a dictionary project at the Turkish Historical Society that will serve as a resource for all historians and continues to serve.

I would like to conclude my words by thanking those who contributed to the realization of today. First of all, to our secret hero of this ceremony, Yasemin Beyazıt, to all our colleagues who contributed to our book with their writings, and then to all of you esteemed participants, we thank you. However, we all know that behind every successful person, there is always a self-sacrificing spouse. Behind my professor's success is my dear friend Gülümser, with her ladyship, smiling face, and modesty. I thank her very much for always being by our professor's side and supporting him. But my biggest thanks go to my professor, who brought us together and raised dozens of students like me.

Professor, on behalf of myself and everyone who has had the fortune of being your student, I offer you my deepest gratitude. I wish you many years of health, peace, and happiness. I am glad you existed, I am glad I became your student.”

Following the speeches, the book titled “In Cherished Memories: Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ali Ünal-A Tribute Book to a Historian,” co-edited by Prof. Dr. Nurgül Bozkurt, Prof. Dr. Osman Köse, and Prof. Dr. Zafer Gölen, was presented to the professor. The book was prepared without Mehmet Ali Ünal's knowledge by his students and friends and was presented to him as a surprise at the ceremony. The ceremony, which witnessed emotional moments, concluded with the presentation of gifts to Ünal.