; Whereas Ataturk also said now we Turks alone control our own homeland, we are the masters of our own house , and declared that sovereignty belongs to the people without any conditions or restrictions; Whereas President John F. Kennedy said, Ataturk, with his historic achievements, was one of the greatest leaders of [the 20th] century. He was a towering figure of human ideals. His extraordinary leadership and his military genius accomplished so much for his country; first in battlefields, and then in building his nation, materially and in spirit. He created a modern and sovereign state from the ashes of a defeated empire. He was a great peace-maker, an ultimate reformer and a torch-bearer of freedom. He won not only the heart of his nation but the hearts of the oppressed nations as well. We all miss him. ; Whereas Turkish Americans are an important part of the fabric of the United States, as evinced by their contributions to the arts, science, academia, law, business, and political life of this country; and Whereas Turkish Americans serve as goodwill ambassadors promoting greater understanding between the United States and Turkey, by informing the people of the United States about their rich Turkish cultural heritage, and the importance of the strategic partnership to advance mutual interests between the United States and Turkey: Now, therefore, be it