06 Mart 2026 Cuma
The late İzzet Baysal, founder of the İzzet Baysal Foundation and our University, a valuable patriot who dedicated his life to the development of Bolu and his country, whose philanthropy won hearts and whose name is synonymous with Bolu, was commemorated with mercy, gratitude, and longing at a ceremony held at his grave on the 26th anniversary of his passing; his grave was adorned with flowers, as it is every year.
The commemoration ceremony for the late İzzet Baysal began with a march of respect for him at the Gölköy campus. Academic and administrative staff, protocol members, members of the İzzet Baysal Philosophy Understanding and Preservation Society, representatives of political parties and NGOs, students, and citizens, carrying banners expressing their love, respect, and longing for İzzet Baysal, marched from the front of the İzzet Baysal Cultural Center to his memorial tomb.
The first ceremony for the late İzzet Baysal was held at his grave. The ceremony was attended by... Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydın, Bolu Members of Parliament İsmail Akgül and Türker Ateş, Brigade and Garrison Commander Brigadier General Emrullah Öztürk, Bolu Deputy Mayor Ömer Polat, our Rector Prof. Dr. Faruk Yiğit, İzzet Baysal Foundation President Ahmet Baysal and members of the foundation's board of trustees and management board, Vice Rectors Prof. Dr. Coşkun Karaca, Prof. Dr. Kaya Yıldız and Prof. Dr. Ferudun Kaya, General Secretary Prof. Dr. Yusuf Cerit, regional and provincial directors of public institutions and organizations, representatives of political parties and NGOs, philanthropic business people, academic and administrative staff, students and citizens attended the ceremony.
Rector Yiğit: “İzzet Baysal viewed service to society as a national issue.”
Speaking at the ceremony held at the graveside of the late İzzet Baysal, Rector Prof. Dr. Faruk Yiğit stated that they had gathered to commemorate a great figure who viewed service to society as a national issue and considered the education of individuals as the greatest investment.
“We are working to achieve his goals by embracing İzzet Baysal’s understanding of education.”
Emphasizing that İzzet Baysal was not only an industrialist but also an exemplary philanthropist who dedicated his life to education, humanity, and social development, Rector Yiğit summarized: “Throughout his life, he considered sharing his earnings with society as a responsibility. In his understanding, true wealth is not the buildings constructed, but the young people educated in those buildings and the services offered to humanity within them. İzzet Baysal wholeheartedly believed that education is the strongest element in building a country's future. With this belief, he spearheaded the establishment of countless educational institutions at every level of education, from preschool to university. However, his contribution was not limited to walls, classrooms, or signs. His main goal was to enable the upbringing of individuals who think, produce, are ethical, and are beneficial to society. Today, we, too, are working to achieve this goal by embracing this understanding of the late İzzet Baysal, the founder of our University.”
“Our duty is to always consider education as the most important value.”
“İzzet Baysal's philanthropic philosophy is based on adding value rather than simply giving.” Rector Yiğit, summarizing the situation, stated: “Therefore, every service he rendered is lasting, and its impact will endure for generations. The most valuable legacy left to us by the late İzzet Baysal is the virtue of sharing, serving society, and offering available resources for the benefit of humanity. Our duty is to share and preserve this legacy, to always prioritize education, and to carry his understanding of investing in people into the future. I commemorate the late İzzet Baysal with respect and gratitude, and I want to emphasize that we will protect his legacy and do our utmost to advance it further.”
Bolu Deputy Mayor Polat added: “İzzet Baysal’s greatest legacy has been teaching and perpetuating goodness.”
Bolu Deputy Mayor Ömer Polat summarized: “There are some people whose names are associated with a city and live on in our hearts even after decades. İzzet Baysal is one such name. İzzet Baba saw his wealth not as a privilege, but as a trust given to his homeland. He touched the destiny of Bolu with the works he contributed, from education to health. He established hospitals, built schools, and opened doors of hope for young people. True wealth is the mark we leave on people's lives. Looking back today, we see that the mark İzzet Baysal left was so great that it touched the destiny of a city, even a society. But perhaps his greatest legacy was teaching and perpetuating goodness. The İzzet Baysal Foundation he established is not just an institution, but the name of an understanding.”
Bolu Governor Aydın added: “İzzet Baysal, by placing the understanding of investing in people at the center of life, has etched his name into the hearts of people.”
Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydın stated that the late İzzet Baysal, who gave a city its identity through his philanthropy, was an exemplary figure not only with the works he built but also with his vision and human-centered perspective, summarizing: "He entrusted his earnings not as personal accumulation, but to his homeland, to the youth, and to the future of his country."
