Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day
19 May 2026 — Pass the baton on – youth is running along the Milky Way!
On 19 May, Turkey marks the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day. The date recalls 19 May 1919, when Mustafa Kemal arrived in Samsun, an event regarded as the start of the Turkish War of Independence, which led to the founding of the republic in 1923. Atatürk later dedicated this day to young people. Today, sports contests, gymnastic and dance displays fill stadiums across the country, and schools and municipalities hold ceremonies. Students and athletes take part in events with flags and speeches. Traditionally, in the days before, young runners carry a torch or baton between towns. The holiday follows the Gregorian calendar and is not tied to lunar phases or solstices. In late spring the evenings are long and bright, and constellations such as Leo and Boötes are visible over Turkey. A runner racing along the Milky Way is a fitting image of youthful energy.
Flying across the sky: An ethereal, bluish-silver star figure of a young runner made of bright dots and lines, like a constellation, holding a glowing relay baton and sprinting along the Milky Way
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