100th anniversary of 19 May 1919, the date on which the Turkish War of Independence was ignited, is welcomed with great enthusiasm and excitement. This first step taken one century ago is remembered with the 100th year celebratory events which were started at 07:30 on May 19 with the wreath-laying ceremony at the Statue of Honor.
A minute of silence is kept for the memory of Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his brothers in arms and the Turkish National Anthem is sung during the opening ceremony. Governor of Samsun Osman Kaymak then placed the wreath on the Statue of Honor and signed the official memorial book.
19 May the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day celebrations continued at the Tobacco Wharf, the location where Atatürk landed in Samsun to initiate the Turkish War of Independence.
Soldiers disembarked on the Tobacco Wharf, the location where Atatürk landed in Samsun to initiate the Turkish War of Independence on 19 May 1919, with a Turkish flag that represents Atatürk’s landing.
Soldiers of the naval and land forces reenacted Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his brothers in arms’ landing in Samsun. Soldiers than passed on the flag to boy and girl scouts and they carried the flag to the parade ground of Samsun Governorate.
Governor Osman Kaymak made a speech at the ceremony and quoted “It is better to die for the Turkish Nation then to live dependent” from Atatürk’s speech, saying “Atatürk said these words and landed in Samsun when all hopes seemed to have been lost and initiated our war of independence and freedom”.
Governor Kaymak and members of the protocol then gave the start signal for the International 19 May Half Marathon and Turkish Clubs Half Marathon Final.
Following the start of the half marathons, the events continued at the Republic Square with great enthusiasm.
The events here started with one minute’s silence and Turkish National Anthem. Students recited poems written for 19 May and Governor Kaymak gave a speech on the meaning and importance of the day.
Following Governor Kaymak’s speech, the events continued with the following: Turkish Armed Forces Ottoman Military Band concert, Air Forces Escort of Honour’s parade, TRT Ankara Radio Polyphonic Youth Choir’s concert performed together with Samsun Medical Filed Service School and Training Centre Command’s District Band Command, concert given by the students of Ankara Necdet Seçkinöz Secondary School invited to Samsun by the Ministry of the Interior, Canik Gülbahar Hatun Kindergarten students’ reenactment of Atatürk’s voyage to Samsun with the SS Bandırma, flag show, performance of 19 Mayıs High School’s Rhythm Band, gymnastic display of Ondokuz Mayıs Universtiy and Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports athletes, Samsun Youth Centre’s folk dances performance, mountaineer athletes’ climbing shows. The events ended with award ceremony of the 19 May Half Marathon.
Rector Prof. Sait Bilgiç made a written statement on the 100th anniversary of the National War of Independence, and he stated:
"Today is the 100th year of 19 May 1919... It has been a year since Mustafa Kemal Pasha set foot in Samsun, burned the first spark of the National Struggle and appointed the will of independence as the indispensable destiny of the Turkish nation. The journey that started on May 16, 1919 with Mustafa Kemal Pasha and his 18 friends, was completed in Samsun on 19 May. The end of this journey was the beginning of the story of the Turkish nation to erase dictation plans of the great powers from the history and to create a new state from the ashes of Ottoman Empire.
Mustafa Kemal Paşa, çıktığı bu yolda zincir vurulamayacak Türk milletinin bağımsızlık ülküsünü ve iradesini daha en baştan teyit etmiştir. 15 Mayıs 1919’da Mareşal Fevzi Çakmak dönemin Erkân-ı Harbiye-i Umûmîye Reisi Cevat Paşa’nın odasında görev devir teslimi için buluştukları sırada Anadolu’da bir millî mukavemet kurulması üzerine konuşurken odaya giren ve konuşmalara şahit olan Mustafa Kemal Paşa “Ben zaten bunun için Anadolu’ya gidiyorum.” demiştir.
Mustafa Kemal Pasha confirmed at the very beginning the ideal of independence and the will of the Turkish nation that will not be chained. Mustafa Kemal Pasha remarked in his Great Speech on the conditions of the Ottoman Empire: "Lords, there was a single decision under those circumstances which was to establish an absolute and new Turkish State based on the dominance of the Turkish people.That is what we thought before leaving Istanbul and started to practice as soon as we set foot on Anatolian soil in Samsun". These remarks recorded Atatürk's faith on his people and his farsightedness.
Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk closely observed the determination, will, resolution and courage of the Turkish youth whom he counted on in terms of the establishment of the future. In this context, Physician Hikmet (Boran) participating in the Sivas Congress as a delegate of the Medical School did not accept the idea of mandate, which indicate the will of the Turkish Youth.
Physician Hikmet's remark affected Mustafa Kemal Pasha and he said to him: "My Son, be at ease, I am proud of and count on the youth.We will not accept the mandate of a vow, even in the minority.Our password is unique and does not change 'Independence or death'. Physician Hikmet kissed Mustafa Kemal Pasha's hand and Pasha kissed his forehead by writing in history following remarks:"Young people, all the hope and the future of the country depend on you and the understanding and energy of the younger generations".
Here is the Turkish youth... Here is Ghazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha and his friends... Here is the spirit of the National War of Independence...
We celebrate the 100th anniversary of the First Step with a wide range of activities such as seminars, conferences, panels, workshops, walking, sports festivals, exhibitions and concerts with the same enthusiasm at Ondokuz Mayıs University and in Samsun. We are working hard to prepare young people in science and education for the future in order to maintain the will of this holy movement forever. In this process, the walks witnessing the participation of all sections in the society have revealed the charm of the 100th anniversary in every step with the same emotion, rhtyhm, enthusiasm and will. Thus, we remembered and reminded that we could overcome all difficulties if we acted in the spirit of national unity and solidarity.
With these feelings and thoughts; I commemorate the May 19 Atatürk Commemoration, Youth and Sports Day, which is an insignia of the spirit expanding from May 19 1919 to 2019. And I would like to say that some steps last a century but their will is maintained forever..."
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also participated in the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of 19 May 1919 in Samsun and he appealed to the public at the Tobacco Wharf.
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