May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day message from ULUSKON President Atasoy

Nezaket Emine Atasoy, President of the International Investment and Business Confederation (ULUSKON), Advisor to the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and Advisor to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), published a message on the occasion of May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.

In her message, President Atasoy stated that she sees May 19, 1919 as the starting date of the National Liberation Movement that paved the way for the reconquest of the lands that our ancestors made their homeland by giving thousands of martyrs. President Atasoy included the following statements in his message:

"We celebrate May 19th Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day with pride and enthusiasm in every corner of our country. On this great day, I would like to extend my best wishes to the ULUSKON community and all our people, especially our young people. I believe that our nation, which holds the love of the country above all values and never compromises on the ideal of living independently and freely, has gained a different position in the world with these characteristics. The departure of the great Atatürk to Samsun in order to realize the ideal of establishing a new independent Turkish State based on national sovereignty, and the start of the work of saving the homeland by relying on the Turkish Nation, has been an important turning point in our glorious history and a multifaceted and decisive step taken in the process leading to enlightenment. Beginning on May 19, our great liberation movement has taught us that even under the most difficult conditions, the Turkish Nation should be trusted and that we should fight with determination without losing hope, and has given us the opportunity to prove to the whole world what we can achieve as a nation if we act in unity and solidarity. I believe that the steps taken in the process that started with Atatürk's landing in Samsun and led to the winning of the National War of Independence are also the harbingers of the heralded path to the establishment of the new Republic of Turkey, which gives our citizens the dignity and virtue of being human. With the Republic, Atatürk aimed to create a modern society consisting of free individuals who think rationally and creatively, are self-confident, can look forward in the light of realistic knowledge, and have responsibility. I firmly believe that our young people, who are raised in the schools and institutions of the Republic of Turkey in line with this purpose, are individuals who have the qualities to lead their lives and be successful not only in our country but also anywhere in the world. In all efforts and searches for the establishment of a bright future in our country, I see our well-educated young population as our great wealth and at the same time our future. I celebrate the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, which symbolizes the enlightenment of the Turkish Nation, and I commemorate the heroes of the War of Independence, especially the Great Atatürk, with heart debt, respect and mercy."