Street near historic Turkish cemetery in Malta named after Atatürk

VALLETTA

A street in Malta’s Marsa district, located near the historic Turkish Military Cemetery, has been officially named “Atatürk Street” in honor of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the modern Turkish Republic.

The Turkish Embassy in Valletta announced the development on social media, stating, “The inauguration of Atatürk Street in Malta was held on May 19, the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, in accordance with the wishes of our late Ambassador Mr. Erdeniz Şen.”

The naming ceremony was attended by Fethi Etem, Charge d’Affaires of Türkiye’s Embassy in Valletta. A plaque bearing Atatürk’s well-known motto, “Peace at home, peace in the world,” was installed at the entrance to the newly named street.

Şen, who passed away on May 19 in Ankara after a period of illness, had personally followed and supported the process of naming the street after Atatürk.

In an interview in August last year, Şen emphasized that the road lies in proximity of the Turkish Cemetery and forms part of the Marsa Junction project, which was designed by Turkish engineers.

He also noted that the initiative began under the tenure of former Ambassador Kerem Kiratlı and that he had taken over its follow-up. “This is a decision by the Maltese government in the context of Türkiye-Malta relations. It reflects the importance they attach to ties with Türkiye,” Şen had remarked.