Honourable Ambassador, Honorable Minister, Esteemed guests and Dear young people;

Today is the anniversary of the salvation torch that Mustafa Kemal ignited in Samsun, traveling from hand to hand and from heartfelt to heartfelt in Anatolia.

There are certain days to be celebrated in Turkish History. One of them is the day Atatürk went to Samsun to start the national resistance against the states occupying our country. Atatürk gifted the 19th of May, the day the liberation struggle of the Turkish nation started, to the youth with the idea that it also means the young Turkish State's stepping into life.

The Glorious Turkish History is adorned with many achievements. These successes in our history will never be forgotten. A series of events are organized on certain days and weeks in order to remember our achievements and to remember our people who have gained these achievements. May 19, Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day is also among these national festivals that we celebrate as the nation.

Youth and Sports Day was celebrated for the first time in Samsun in 1926 under the name of Gazi Day, and became official on 24 May 1935 under the name of Atatürk Day.

Celebrated at Fenerbahçe Stadium, this first May 19 has become a sports day with the participation of hundreds of athletes from Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe.

In order for the celebrated Atatürk Day to be pruduced to all the youth, it was proposed to be held every year under the name of "May 19 Youth and Sports Day" and became law with the approval of Atatürk. The name of this national holiday celebrated as "Youth and Sports Day" was later changed to "Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day".

Every year on 19 May is celebrated with sports shows and ceremonies all over the Turkey. A giant flag that says "From the Youth to the President with the Love of Atatürk" and called the "Love Flag" is given to the governor of Samsun. Later, the flag is delivered to the young athletes and presented to the President in Ankara at the May 19 ceremonies.

Societies that know their past, history, culture and protect their essence and past and convey this on to their young people have the right to live forever. With this awareness, Atatürk continued the War of Independence with his nation, and gave this day to our youth because of his trust in the youth for the continuation of this victory.

Young people, who will have a say in the administration of the country in the future, will overcome all problems with an understanding of love, peace and tolerance that are needed more than ever, and by acting in unity, they will make Turkey, the leader country of the future, stronger.

Since the victory of our War of Independence, Turkey has achieved important successes in the field of sports, as in every field. Football, basketball, volleyball and wrestling are some of the sports branches in which we have achieved success. In Football, which is the most popular sport branch in Turkey, the Turkish National Team ranked 3rd in the World Cup 2002 and reached the semi-finals in the 2008 European Championship. In 2000, Galatasaray won the European UEFA Cup and the Super Cup. Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş are world-renowned teams of Turkey, and the Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray derby is among the top five derbiest of the world.

Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who is playing in Milan, Burak Yılmaz in Lille, Merih Demiral in Juvenus, Mesut Özil, who is playing in Fenerbahçe after Real Madrid and Arsenal, and Arda Turan, who played in Barcelona in 2018, are some of the players who successfully represent our country abroad.

As you know, Faruk Miya, who successfully represents Uganda abroad, also plays in Konyaspor in Turkey. Until last year, we also had volleyball player Daudi Okello in Turkey. He was the top scorer of the first league (Efeler Ligi) until he was transfered to South Korea. We hope to have more talented Ugandan players displaying their performance in Turkey.

I would like to end my words with the words of Great Leader Ataturk: "I Love the Intelligent, Agile and Moral athlete."

With these feelings and thoughts, I congratulate our youth’s 19 May Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, and remember Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and all our martyrs and veterans, with mercy and respect.

Thank you.