The film offers a colourful portrait of modern Turkey that combines its remarkable history and impressive technical and economic development. It takes the viewer through the achievements of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founding father of the Republic of Turkey, who managed to reform Turkish industries, infrastructure and education system and bring economic progress and democratisation. At the same time, the film shows the pride that the new generation of Turks takes in their culture as they aim to revive and preserve Anatolian traditions and ancient cities like Bursa, Istanbul or the valleys of Cappadocia.

Besides bridging tradition and innovation, the film also takes stock of the Turkish military contribution to the defence of the West during the Cold War.

Chapters / Key Moments:

00:00 Introduction

02:20 Port of Zonguldak

02:40 Anatolian plain

02:56 Ankara

03:29 Citadel of Ankara (Ankara Kalesi)

03:57 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Father of all Turks

04:04 Anıtkabir

04:58 Turkish Air Force fighter jets

05:44 Turkish Airlines

07:03 Istanbul University, Süleymaniye Mosque

07:42 Emancipation of women, National Nuclear Research Center

08:27 Turkish Parliament

08:55 Hittites in Anantolia

09:28 Hellenists , Pergamon, Izmir

10:12 Side, South Coast, archeology

11:15 Hierapolis, Phrygia, Pamukkale

12:01 Bosporus, Istanbul

12:35 Cappadocia

13:46 Seljuk Empire, Konya, Antalya, Kayseri

14:18 Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque

14:40 Topkapı Palace, Topkapı Sarayı

15:06 Eyüp Sultan Mosque

15:21 Bursa, Green Mosque, Yeşil Camii, Mosque of Mehmed I

16:10 Aşık İhsani

18:10 Turkish agriculture

18:51 Port of Izmir, merchant and fishing marine

19:10 Turkish food markets

20:07 Turkish embroidery

21:01 Ankara Conservatoire, ballet

21:04 Sword and shield dance of Bursa

22:21 Janissary, yeŋiçeri, March of the Janissaries, music

24:24 Honest John Launcher, Fetih/Fatih

24:33 Turkey and the Iron Curtain, frontier with Soviet Union

26:12 Joint NATO Headquarters

27:07 Turkish Navy, Narrows of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles

28:52 Back to Istanbul for the conclusion

The film was produced by the NATO Information Service as part of the "Prospect of…" series; it built on “The Atlantic Community Series” published in the 1950s, which aimed to introduce each member of the Alliance in a modern way. Three films were produced in total, respectively “Prospect of Turkey” in 1964, “Prospect of Greece” in 1967 and “Prospect of Iceland” in 1968; however, the series was not completed.

Read more about Turkey and NATO in “My country and NATO”, a unique historical module that tells the story of each one of NATO’s members, using curated archival materials to take you back in time.

Find out more about Turkey and NATO: https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/declassified_191048.htm