In honor of the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth, and Sports Day, Turkish sports federations held hands and released heartfelt messages of celebration and remembrance of one of the country’s most important holidays.
Turkish Volleyball Federation
The Turkish Volleyball Federation’s message, shared on their website, emphasized the historical significance of the day: “We celebrate the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth, and Sports Day, the day when Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk began the national struggle in Samsun and gifted it to our youth. We remember our Great Leader, his comrades-in-arms, and our revered martyrs with respect, gratitude, and mercy.”
Turkish Handball Federation
The Turkish Handball Federation highlighted the pivotal moment in Turkish history: “On May 19, 1919, Great Leader Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s arrival in Samsun ignited our nation’s hopes and launched the struggle for independence, leading to the foundation of our Republic. On this anniversary, we honor Atatürk and celebrate the holiday dedicated to our youth, who will carry his legacy forward. Inspired by Atatürk’s words, ‘A sound mind in a sound body’ and ‘I love the intelligent, agile, and morally upright athlete,’ we remain committed to the cultural, human, and athletic values in advancing Turkish handball. We remember with mercy, respect, and gratitude all the heroes to whom we owe our freedom, especially Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. We celebrate our nation’s May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth, and Sports Day.”
Turkish Tennis Federation
The Turkish Tennis Federation also shared their tribute: “We celebrate the May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth, and Sports Day, marking the day Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk initiated the national struggle and the first steps of our Republic in Samsun. We honor Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his comrades, and our cherished martyrs with respect, gratitude, and mercy.”
Other federations
Various other sports federations echoed these sentiments, issuing messages that celebrated the spirit of May 19 and paid homage to Atatürk, his comrades, and the martyrs who paved the way for Türkiye’s independence.
Through these messages, Türkiye’s sports federations unite in a collective tribute to the past, while inspiring the youth to carry forward the legacy of Atatürk and the republic.
