Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day; It is an official holiday of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, celebrated on May 19 every year. On May 19, 1919, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landed in Samsun on the Bandırma Ferry. That day is considered the day the Turkish War of Independence started against the occupation of the Allied Powers. Atatürk gifted this meaningful holiday to Turkish youth.
The celebration, which was called “Youth and Sports Day” for many years, was named “Atatürk Commemoration, Youth and Sports Day” with a change made in 1981, when it was declared the Year of Atatürk. With this change, the purpose of the holiday was to commemorate Atatürk and to emphasize the national liberation struggle under his leadership. At the same time, the importance of youth and the unifying power of sports are emphasized.
The Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day reminds the determination of the Turkish nation in its struggle for independence and the spirit of national unity, and gives the message that the youth will play an important role in the future of the country. This meaningful holiday aims to keep the struggle led by Atatürk and the basic values of the Republic of Turkey alive and transfer them to future generations.
Celebrations on May 19
Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day is celebrated with various activities throughout the country. These celebrations include youth performances, sports competitions, concerts, ceremonies and various cultural events. The festival is celebrated for the purposes of informing the youth about Atatürk’s principles and ideals, reinforcing the feelings of national unity and solidarity, and emphasizing the importance of sports and healthy life.
As part of the 19 May Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day celebrations, a huge flag with the inscription “From Youth to the President with the Love of Atatürk” and called the “Flag of Love” is brought ashore from the Tobacco Pier on the Kurtuluş Yolu and delivered to the governor of Samsun. Then the flag is given to the young athletes and set out to be presented to the president. Starting from Samsun, it is presented to the president in Ankara on 19 May ceremonies, passing through Amasya, Tokat, Sivas, Erzincan, Erzurum, Kayseri, Nevşehir, Kırşehir and Kırıkkale.
These celebrations emerged simultaneously with the founding of the Republic and were not limited to taking place only in Ankara with the participation of the president. It has also been celebrated in stadiums across the country. However, in 2012, a letter sent to schools by the Ministry of National Education, General Directorate of Secondary Education, was prevented from being celebrated in stadiums in cities other than the capital Ankara, in order that the weather conditions could be cold in May and therefore not a burden to students and citizens.
History of May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day
Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day was first celebrated in Samsun in 1926 as “Gazi Day” and later became official as “Atatürk Day” on May 24, 1935. This important holiday was celebrated in Fenerbahçe Stadium under the leadership of Beşiktaş. It has become a sports day with the participation of many athletes such as Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe. At the Sports Congress that took place later, Beşiktaş Founding Member Ahmet Fetgeri Aşeni proposed that Atatürk Day be celebrated every year under the name of “19 May Youth and Sports Day” so that it can be attributed to all youth. This proposal was accepted by voting at the congress and became law with the approval of Atatürk. 19 May was named as “Youth and Sports Day” with a law dated 20 June 1938.
After the September 12 Coup, the National Security Council, led by Kenan Evren, recognized 1981 as the centennial of Atatürk’s birth and declared it the Year of Atatürk. Within the framework of these celebrations, the name of “Youth and Sports Day” was changed to “Atatürk’s Commemoration, Youth and Sports Day”. On the other hand, the logo of TRT 1 channel was changed on 19 May 2012 to refer to this special holiday. With this change, TRT wanted to show its contribution to celebrating and understanding the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.
The Meaning and Importance of May 19
Atatürk’s landing in Samsun is one of the important events in the history of Türkiye. While the Turkish Nation was looking for a solution to cope with the negative effects of the First World War, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk started the liberation struggle in Samsun. The date of 19 May 1919 is one of the turning points of the Republic of Türkiye. For this reason, Atatürk’s journey, which started from Istanbul on May 16-19, 1919, symbolizes a period of liberation. Atatürk’s landing in Samsun has a great importance as we understand with his Great Speech.
Samsun had a strategic importance for the occupation forces. Because it was a transit point opening from the Black Sea to Central Anatolia. For this reason, the British landed a military unit in Samsun on 9 March. In the face of this, the Turkish people took up arms and showed resistance. Upon this situation, it was decided to send a commander with extraordinary powers to the region. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, regretting the situation in the country, wanted to work in Anatolia and therefore came to Samsun on 19 May.
