Statue of Honor

Several ceremonies and celebrations have been held across the country to mark the 104th anniversary of the Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth and Sports Day on May 19, a milestone day for the Turkish War of Independence.

Locals have been holding a vigil following an attack on a statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the country, in the Black Sea province of Samsun where he began the Turkish War of Independence in 1919.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the entire Turkish nation on May 19 united to sing the national anthem at 19.19 hours (7.19 p.m., 1619 GMT) to mark May 19, the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.

Turkey on May 19 celebrated the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth, and Sports Day, which marks the beginning of the country's War of Independence and the emergence of modern Turkey.