Nation marks Youth and Sports Day, commemorates Atatürk

ANKARA

Several ceremonies and celebrations have been held across the country to mark the 104th anniversary of the Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth and Sports Day on May 19, a milestone day for the Turkish War of Independence.

Modern Türkiye’s founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived in the Black Sea province of Samsun from Istanbul on May 19, 1919, to launch the war that resulted in the establishment of a new republic four years later.

To celebrate the holiday, in the early hours of the day, many people flocked to Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Atatürk, who bestowed this special day as a gift to the youth of the Turkish Nation.

Youth and Sports Minister Muharrem Kasapoğlu, accompanied by many young people, laid a wreath at Anıtkabir.

Kasapoğlu and the youth observed a minute of silence and then sang the country’s national anthem.

“Dear Atatürk, your arrival in Samsun to defend the homeland that was occupied 104 years ago was a turning point for our country and nation. We will continue to enlighten the way of our youth in every field. Tomorrow will be brighter with our youth,” Kasapoğlu expressed.

As part of the celebrations, young representatives from all 81 provinces of Türkiye, Turkish Cyprus and Azerbaijan visited Ankara.

The representatives also visited the Youth and Sports Ministry, the parliament and the Presidential Complex.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also issued a message marking this special day.

“The date of May 19, 1919, which Mustafa Kemal Atatürk dedicated to Turkish youth, is a symbol of the revival of the resistance spirit with great faith and belief, even in the face of impossibilities,” Erdoğan expressed in his message.

“May 19 is the day when the Turkish nation began to write one of the greatest heroic epics that history has ever seen, shouting that it would not bow to oppression and stand in unity against the imperialist powers. It is our foremost duty to convey the heroism of our ancestors for their independence and future to the next generations in the most vivid way possible.”

In Samsun, a remarkable city for the day, the celebrations started with a ceremony at the Atatürk Monument, following which young people in high schools staged their shows, which they began rehearsals for months ago.

In the southern province of Mersin, a choreography prepared by teachers and students at a high school offered a visual feast. Around 500 students and 50 teachers created the crescent and star symbols on the Turkish flag with their choreography.

Heart-warming ceremonies were also organized in Istanbul’s Maltepe, Üsküdar, Kadıköy and Beşiktaş districts, which were attended by many.

A series of concerts were also performed in Istanbul’s Maltepe district, while many well-attended ceremonies took place in the capital Ankara.