Every Day Is Special: May 19 – Youth and Sports Day in Turkey

May 19 – Youth and Sports Day in Turkey

Posted on May 19, 2019

Another name for Turkey's May 19 holiday is the Commemoration of Atatürk. Atatürk means "Father of the Turks," and it refers to Mustafa Kemal, Founder of Turkey. Kemal landed in the coastal city of Samsun, on May 19, 1919, to start the War of Independence.

Independence from who? you may be wondering...

Well, the Ottoman Empire (aka Turkish Empire) was one of the losers in World War I, and so the various lands that were part of the Ottoman Empire had been partitioned up (in other words, divided up) and were occupied by the Allies (the nations on the winning side of the war).

(Above, the map at the beginning of World War I; below, the map after that war.)

So, basically independence from occupying forces from Greece, Armenia, France, the United Kingdom (Britain), and Italy.

The public holiday is a day off work for almost everyone, and a day off of school for students (but this year falls on a Sunday, on the weekend, so many people already have the day off!).

For the past 10 days, young Turkish athletes have been carrying the national flag from Samsun (where Atatürk started the push for independence) to Ankara (the capital city). The route is more than 400 kilometers (about 250 miles). Today that flag is presented to Turkey's president.

Sporting events are held during the day, and some students give presentations or put on programs.

Atatürk is celebrated today as if it were his birthday (Kemal's birthdate is unknown). People lay wreaths on the monuments of this Founding Father, and many people hand Turkish flags outside their windows.

Here are some spectacular things to see in Turkey:

Grand Bazaar: