Ankara (Turkiye Khabar) Turkey celebrated Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day with great national enthusiasm. The day is observed every year on May 19 to commemorate the beginning of Türkiye’s War of Independence.
On May 19, 1919, the founder of modern Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, arrived in the Black Sea city of Samsun from Istanbul, where he launched the independence movement that later led to the establishment of modern Türkiye.
Recognizing the significance of the day, Atatürk dedicated it to Turkish youth in 1938, after which it became a national holiday known as Youth and Sports Day.
On this occasion, official ceremonies, sports competitions, and cultural events were organized across the country, while young people visited Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Atatürk in Ankara.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated the youth of Türkiye and Turkish communities living abroad in his message and paid tribute to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his companions, and the martyrs of the independence struggle.
Meanwhile, Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak visited Anıtkabir along with his delegation, where the national anthem was also performed.
