In Türkiye, May 19 is celebrated as Youth and Sports Day, known in Turkish as Atatürk’ü Anma, Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı. This day marks the culmination of honoring the founder of the Republic of Türkiye, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, commemorating his success in the Turkish War of Independence, honoring the lives lost in the war, celebrating national pride, observing Atatürk’s birthday and recognizing the nation’s youth and athleticism. You are right if it sounds like a mouthful, but let me tell you why.

The celebration has its roots dating back to 1916 when Türkiye, then known as the Ottoman Empire, held a festivity named "Idman," which means "training" in Turkish in the sense of athleticism. This celebration was designated by Selim Sırrı Tarcan, a man credited with training the first physical education teachers, introducing volleyball to the country and leading the nation’s Olympic Committee.

While the celebration of "sports" had indeed been designated, due to the battles and strife of World War I and various occupations of the then Ottoman Empire led to this holiday falling by the wayside. The celebration of "training," aka youth and sports, did not actually resume in that sense until 1926 when it became known as Youth and Sports Day.

Atatürk's landing in Samsun

The date May 19 holds significant importance for several reasons. It was on May 19, 1919, when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landed in Samsun on the Black Sea coast, marking the beginning of the nationalist movement that eventually led to the establishment of modern Türkiye. Thus, May 19 is also the anniversary of what is considered the start of the Turkish War of Independence. After parts of the Ottoman Empire were occupied and partitioned following World War I, the Turkish National Movement, led by Mustafa Kemal, initiated a revolution and a series of military campaigns leading to the country’s founding.

While many historians may mark the Greek landing at Smyrna on May 15, 1919, as the start of this four-year war, for Turks, Atatürk's landing in Samsun from Bandırma on May 19 and the official commencement of the legendary military leader’s defensive front hold much more significance. After the war, May 19 was celebrated as Veteran’s Day until June 29, 1938, when it was officially declared Youth and Sports Day.

Unfortunately, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, Türkiye’s first president who led the war that established the nation we live in now, passed away later that year on Nov. 10, 1938, at the very young age of 57, in his Istanbul residence, Dolmabahçe Palace. The cause of death is claimed to be cirrhosis. He passed away at 9:05 a.m., and every year in Türkiye, at exactly that time on Nov. 10, a minute of silence is held in honor of the legendary leader.

Atatürk’s funeral took place in Ankara on Nov. 21, 1938, and was attended by dignitaries from 17 different nations. His remains were held at the Ethnography Museum of Ankara until Nov. 10, 1953, the 15th anniversary of his death, when his final resting place in Anıtkabir was finally prepared.

May 19 birthday

Born in 1881 in Thessaloniki, at a time when birthdays weren’t recorded as they are now, all Atatürk knew was that his mother had given birth to him in spring. However, in 1936, Britain’s King Edward VIII wanted to celebrate Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s birthday. He is said to have sent telegrams to Ankara requesting the date of Atatürk’s birth. However, no one, not even the Turkish foreign affairs minister, was able to respond with an answer to the king of the United Kingdom. Thus, it was upon this royal request that on Nov. 10, 1936, a birth certificate was drawn up for Atatürk. The day designated as his birthday was selected by Mustafa Kemal as May 19. What is a bizarre twist of fate is that the date his birthday was recorded would end up becoming the same date as his death on Nov. 10, two years later.

Atatürk, who in 1927 was the first in the world to create a holiday celebrating children, which takes place every year on April 23 as National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, also wanted to celebrate the nation’s youth and sports. Thus, May 19, 1938, officially became recognized as a national holiday; however, Atatürk only celebrated it once. Since then, however, it has been known as the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day. It is celebrated with parades, sporting demonstrations, festivals, various ceremonies and paying respects to Atatürk's grave by visiting Anıtkabir, where he now lies buried, also known as Atatürk’s Mausoleum.