May 19 was a buzzing day in Istanbul – especially around Taksim Square. In the Republic of Turkey and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, May 19th – Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day – is celebrated as an official holiday. For years, the holiday was called “Youth and Sports Day“. In 1981, then President Kenan Evren changed the name, when the National Security Council and UNESCO dedicated the entire year to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Turkey, was a statesman and writer, commander-in-chief of the Turkish War of Independence, and a Turkish marshal.
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“On May 19, 1919, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk arrived in Samsun aboard Bandırma steamship. This day is considered the day the Turkish War of Independence against occupation by the Allied Powers began.”
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History
Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day was first celebrated in Samsun in 1926 under the name, Gazi Day (Veterans Day). It was officially recognized as Atatürk Day in 1935. The first May 19th celebrated at Istanbul Fenerbahçe Stadium was initiated by the Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club. It became a sports day with the participation of hundreds of athletes from Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe soccer clubs.
In June 1938, the Sports Congress proposed the Atatürk Day celebration be held annually as “19 May Youth and Sports Day,” so it could be accessible to all youth. This proposal was approved by Congress and Atatürk.
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“When I landed in Samsun in May 1919, I had no material force in my hands. What I had was a spiritual strength born from the nobility of the great Turkish nation filling my conscience. It was with this national power, with this trust in the Turkish nation, that I began my task.” Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
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Celebrations
“May 19th is celebrated with sports demonstrations and ceremonies. A giant flag – the ‘Flag of Love’ – bearing the inscription ‘From the Youth to the President with Love for Atatürk,’ is brought ashore from the Black Sea and presented to the governor of Samsun.” The flag then travels through several Anatolian coastal cities before young athletes present it to the president in Ankara, the capital of Turkey.
Concerts and Sports Events
In Istanbul and 81 provinces across Turkey, there will be free May 19th concerts. Performances are hosted by Metropolitan Municipalities and Ministries of Culture. Special sports events include individual and team sports, from paddling and athletics to football and cycling.
2026 UEFA Europa League Final
Adding to the excitement, the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League final between Freiburg and Aston Villa takes place at Beşiktaş Park on May 20.
It’s Freiberg’s first-ever “continental decider“. Villa is in their first Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) final since they won the European Cup in 1982. I’m struggling to grasp everything soccer… Turkish people clearly get excited about their games!
“The 2026 final will be the second major UEFA event to take place at Beşiktaş Park. It follows the 2019 UEFA Super Cup game, in which UEFA Champions League winners, Liverpool, beat Europa League winners, Chelsea, 5-4 on penalties following a 2-2 draw. The home of 16-time Turkish Super League champions, Beşiktaş, the venue stands on the north side of the Bosphorus Strait and has a capacity of around 40,000.”
UEFA Europa League Trophy
‘The UEFA Europa League Trophy is the heaviest of all UEFA silverware. Unlike other cups awarded in European club competition, it has no handles. The trophy is awarded to the bold, dynamic sides who win the annual final. It tips the scales at 33 lbs. and is 25.5 inches high, 13 inches wide, and 9 inches deep.”
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“The trophy, a silver cup on a yellow marble plinth, was designed and crafted by the Bertoni workshop Milan. Just above the plinth, a group of players seem to be jostling for the ball, when, in fact, they are supporting the octagonal ‘cup’ which is emblazoned with the UEFA emblem.”
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The original trophy remains with UEFA at all times. A full-sized replica is awarded to the winning club. Any club that wins the trophy three consecutive times, or five times in total, receives a special mark of recognition, with the club then starting a new cycle from zero.”
Soccer and May 19th commemorations are undoubtedly bold signs of Turkish nationalism.