A youth festival was held in London as part of the celebrations for 19 May Youth and Sports Day, commemorating Atatürk. The event at New River Stadium was organized by the Turkish Embassy’s Educational Affairs Office in London, the Turkish Cypriot Representation’s Education and Culture Office in London, the UK Turkish Language, Culture and Education Consortium, and the UK Turkish Community Football Federation.
The celebration was attended by Turkey’s Ambassador to London, Osman Koray Ertaş, and his wife Sevcan Ertaş, Turkish Cypriot Representative in London, Çimen Keskin, Turkey’s Educational Counselor Mevlüt Ceylan, Consortium President Nuriye Mertcan, Council of Turkish Cypriot Associations in the UK President Kenan Nafi, TTFF President İrfan Davulcular, and European Turkish Brands Association President Vehbi Keleş. The festival began with a parade of schools and young footballers, followed by poetry readings, speeches on the day’s significance, various performances, and sports events including tug-of-war and sack races.
In his speech at the event, Turkey’s Ambassador to London, Osman Koray Ertaş, emphasized the great significance of celebrating national holidays with enthusiasm, especially abroad. Ertaş stated, “These celebrations are crucial for passing our values on to the younger generations. I am very happy and proud to celebrate this meaningful day here with you in London. Due to the pandemic, we haven’t had such a comprehensive program for the past three years, and we all missed it. I hope we never experience such things again and continue to celebrate our holidays in unity and joy.” He concluded his speech by saying, “On this occasion, I commemorate the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, his comrades, all our veterans, and everyone who contributed to the founding of the Republic with mercy and gratitude. Happy holiday to you all.”
Turkish Cypriot Representative Çimen Keskin highlighted in her speech the national struggle initiated by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Samsun on 19 May 1919 and its importance for the youth. Keskin emphasized that dedicating this day to Turkish youth demonstrates the trust placed in them. She stressed that young people must work with determination and commitment to become beneficial individuals for their country, nation, and humanity. TTFF President İrfan Davulcular and Consortium President Nuriye Mertcan also delivered speeches.
