The Atatürk Society UK (ASUK) celebrated the 19th May Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day as well as its 25th Anniversary on Saturday, May 21.
On Saturday evening members of ASUK and community members celebrated together in south London, with food and drinks and live performances from musicians. Among the honoured guests of the night was the Chair of The Association for Supporting Contemporary(CYDD) Life and an award-winning teacher and writer Dilek Livaneli. Donations from the event will be given to CYDD which focuses on supporting girls who face life adversities that interrupt their education.
ASUK chair Jale Özer welcome guests to the event saying: “One of the most important features of a nation being a nation is that it has a common history and a common destiny. Under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the people of Turkey started the War of Independence against the imperialist powers of the period on May 19, 1919, with the understanding of either independence or death. Our Great Leader, before starting the War of Independence, thought about every little detail, choosing his friends to set out with, and applying a very subtle strategy against the representatives of the imperialist countries in Istanbul, preventing his arrest at that time, and knitting the way to Liberation by knot by knot. He lit the fire of the war in Samsun. That’s why May 19 is the key day to save the country and turn towards liberation.”
Adding that “our primary goal in all our activities since our establishment is to help our young people living abroad absorb Atatürk’s thought as a philosophy of life and to take part in the society as educated and enlightened individuals in the country they live in. We are trying to establish this awareness in the conferences, seminars and national holiday celebrations we organise…”
