Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day
May 19 · Level 10 · #179 of 2238
This Turkish national holiday remembers Mustafa Kemal Atatürk while celebrating young people and sport. It marks his arrival in Samsun in 1919, an event regarded as the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence.
How it is celebrated: wreaths are laid at Atatürk monuments, and schools and universities stage performances. Sporting competitions, youth parades and concerts bring people together, with Turkish flags decorating public spaces.
Atatürk also adopted 19 May as his symbolic birthday, since his exact birth date is unknown. The anniversary therefore links a turning point in national history with the founder's own life.