The Light of Turkish Youth: Special for 19 May, Youth and Sports Day

This series of articles has been specially prepared for the 19 May Youth and Sports Day by six volunteer Turkish young people representing different age groups.

In these articles, our young contributors share their perspectives on Turkey and what it means to be young in the country. They provide us with the opportunity to gain a closer understanding of how the young population experiences various aspects of life.

It is important for everyone to read and listen attentively to each article, as the authors freely express their concerns, worries, aspirations, and sadness.

Let us listen to the voices of young people!

Don't miss this special article prepared by Do?ukan ?etin, Eren ?zbak??, Eslem Durmu?, Mina Akpulat, Selin Devrim, and painter Yaren Ayc?.

"In these days of pessimism and despair, I choose to look at the future optimistically with hope"

I'm Dogukan. I am 23 years old. I am a Turkish young man who recently graduated from university and entered the business world with the dust of his feet. I have spent a long period of my life in Istanbul, not counting certain intervals. Although I am one of those who often complain about Istanbul, I have not been able to give up and move away from this city.

In these days of pessimism and hopelessness, I am one of those who optimistically prefer to look at the future with hope. Compared to the young population living in other countries, we 'have to' have high awareness and consciousness. The reason why, unpleasant experiences, unhappy lives, interfered lives, restricted freedoms lie behind these characteristicsr. However, despite all these reasons, I am hopeful and happy to be one of the young people who are still attached to their country and love it.

"We continue our efforts to find the light"

We, the young people of our country, which has the highest youth population among the countries in Europe, continue our efforts to find the light hidden in pessimism and despair.

There are many lessons we can learn from the story of the 19 May Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, which is attributed to us young people, in honour of which we have prepared this series of articles. As young people, we are grateful to Atatürk, who shed light on our path with his principles and foresighted words when we are hopeless.

We young people want to be recognised, listened to and cared for by the adults in our country. As I mentioned above, the Turkish youth, who have been moulded by the current conditions of the country and have high awareness and consciousness, are in a position to make a difference compared to other countries in terms of both quantity and quality. It is very important to win this population, to utilise it efficiently and to make it happy. Our adults, who will share their current life experiences by approaching us young people with more common sense, will make a unique contribution to us.

"I am proud to be a young person who is not satisfied with the standard"

As I mentioned above, I am proud to be a young person who never gives up finding the light even in the darkest moments, strives to be happy, stands against injustice, and is not satisfied with mediocre.

I would love to meet you in hopeful days where we move away from pessimism and hopelessness and where young people are aware of their youth...

"As long as we do not leave our country, our country will not leave us"

I am Eren. I am a Turkish young man who has just turned 18. Unlike some of my friends, I was born in an enlightened and educated family in the coastal areas of Izmir. During the 17 years I have lived, I have tasted the beauties of my country as much as possible.

As an Izmir lover, I have seen many different cities at home and abroad and got to know the people of those cities. However, Hatay, which I have wanted to go to because of its history and which I have never been unfortunately, even if I go now, I will not find that history and people, is my favourite city in my country despite all these.

From the moment I was born, I have witnessed only the regression of the country. I don't know if I will be able to stand on my own feet at this time next year, perhaps at the most important times of my life...

"While struggling with exam stress, we are worried about the future of the country"

Believe me, this anxiety about the future experienced by young people like me makes us very tired. I met these feelings for the first time when I was 13 years old, in those years, we started to study and talk about politics with my peers. It may be difficult for the young people of other countries to understand these things, but while we were struggling with exam stress, we were worried about the future of the country.

Now I have another exam in front of me, but I can't even sleep at night, let alone study for the exam. I am really very full and sad. I was born on May 15 and I spent my last birthday following the election results under great pressure. Actually, this is not what makes me sad...

In the last year, the days that I have attached value to have become official holidays. Because they are a gift to us from our ancestor Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, whom we remember a lot these days. They all have a different meaning, a different purpose. And what really saddens me is that once again on our holiday, we young people will spend this holiday with various concerns.

"In recent years, I have accepted May 19 Youth and Sports Day as my real birthday"

I did and do my best to be an ideal young Turkish citizen. Following in the footsteps of my ancestor, I never despaired. No matter what happens, no matter what we go through, there is one very important thing that we Turkish youth should know. As long as we do not leave our country, our country will not leave us. Please do your best to protect this country that our ancestors entrusted to us and fight for this country until your last day. If this country is worse today than yesterday, it is the fault of the generations before us, whether they agree or not. Even today among our adults, there are those who have not gave up this mistake.

People move forward through understanding and this can only happen when generations understand each other and learn from each other. Unfortunately, some people still underestimate us and try to make us like them. Our point of differentiation in this situation is that we access information quickly and we are always searching for more. We learn by researching, not by living. Therefore, they should not look down on us.

"As young people, we are ready to fight for the future of this country as long as they do not prevent us"

We are the young people to whom Atatürk entrusted the country. My only sacredness in this life is my country and its founding values. I feel at home everywhere in Turkey, from east to west. I believe this is the case for the majority of our young people. Nevertheless, I see that some of my friends, albeit rare, are thinking of leaving our country not because they do not love their homeland, but because they feel hopeless. I would like to address those friends from here. Not only in the Republic, but in the entire Turkish history, our nation has struggled with impossibilities and overcome them when they were united. Please fight for this country with us. Be sure, when we are together, there is nothing impossible in this country. Our country, thanks to the revolutions made by our ancestor in his time, has managed to be a country that is still free and does not have to be dependent on foreign countries, no matter how much it is tried to be worn out.

"Friends, never, never stop walking on the path you know is right, don't give up"

In addition, Turkey is a very rich and colourful country socially and culturally. These beauties alone are enough to make people fall in love. But this marvellous richness sometimes leads to people not getting along. There is a very important point that we should pay attention to here, and that is respect. We can only exist when all colours can be together. If people live their own lives without interfering with each other's culture and life, and even wonder and try to learn about the other's, we will have achieved something so important not only in our country but also in the world that we will leave most of today's problems behind and leap forward. I would like to convey one last message to all my young friends. Never stop walking on the path you know is right, never give up. Remember, if they take away our hope, we have nothing left, so hold on to it!

"The struggle of my ancestors for this land is enough to be my light of hope in a dark room"

I am Eslem. I am 21 years old. I am a member of Generation Z, which they say is coming with a bang. I was born in Beyo?lu. I grew up and still continue to grow in this place, which makes everyone smile when I say it and hosts a completely different history in itself. Every day I rebel against the different problems of this place, but I can't stop myself from running back whenever I go somewhere else.

"I feel like my youth will be gone before I can hold it"

It's like it's flowing... There is an endless energy in me, though. If they let me, I would run everywhere, but the obstacles increase so much in my dear country that I get tired. Sometimes I lose hope, I tell everyone that I will leave. I will do whatever it takes and I will leave this country. I get very angry at everything, and most of the time I am very touched by our youth. Then I think about the past, I think about how desperate my ancestors fought for these lands, how they left us a free homeland and a flag to live under without giving up despite everything. Thinking about these is enough to be my light of hope in a dark room.

"Whenever you feel lost, Atatürk's 'Address to the Youth' will be the brightest light that illuminates your path and the clearest water that green your hopes"

I get up from my seat, I tell myself that I will also fight, I will always continue to fight and put my spirit forward for every holiday that has been gifted to us, for our youth and our future, for every inch of land left to us and for our freedom. I trust the Turkish youth and its spirit. I know you are tired and you are trying to overcome different obstacles every day, but whenever you feel lost, Atatürk's Address to Youth will be the brightest light that illuminates your path and the clearest water that will green your hopes. Despite everything, I sincerely believe that we will fight without losing our hopes, that we will stay here for our country and that we will work and strive for our future. Because I know that if we want and believe, we will be more enthusiastic every 19 May and we will look to the future with hope every day.

"I'm sure that every young soul reading this has felt what's in my heart"

Let those who do not understand us know that we only want to build free, happy and peaceful tomorrows and work with all our strength for this. I hope that many more 19 May Days will come when discriminations, despair and unhappiness will come to an end and be replaced by the sun coming with spring, dreams, hopes and unity under the blue sky.

Do not forget that hopeful tomorrows will only be possible if we are "us".

As Naz?m said:

If you don't burn, if I don't burn, if we don't burn

How the darkness comes to light. ~ Nazim Hikmet Ran

"19 May is the day the Turkish War of Independence started with the idea of 'either independence or death'"

I am Mina. I am 17 years old and I am graduating from high school this year. As of September, I will be studying Business Management at KU Leuven University in Belgium. I was born in Istanbul and I think this city is my favourite city. If I lived somewhere other than Istanbul, it would be Izmir.

When we used to celebrate 23th of April, we were children. We were always looking forward to growing up and celebrating May 19... Now we are those young people and we are celebrating 19 May Youth and Sports Day. Both dates have a very special importance for Turkey. Although 19 May is celebrated as Youth and Sports Day, it is actually the day when the Turkish War of Independence started with the idea of "either independence or death". Today, it is of great importance for me to commemorate Atatürk and to remember again how the country struggled against the difficulties and to commemorate with respect.

"As a young Turkish citizen, I grew up knowing that we must fully protect our principles and values"

But I don't want to say this on behalf of all Turkish youth. Because I was a very lucky child, it can be said that I have not even met the harsh realities of life yet. I know very well that the young people who do not live in this fan sacrifice their education and start working at an early age and the labour they put in to bring home the bread.

For this reason, "young people" can no longer remain "young" and as an "adult" they have many material and moral difficulties. Despite all these difficulties and labour, I still do not think that adults take young people seriously.

"Even though we are going through very difficult situations, we still cannot be united"

Whether it is a generation gap or something else... As a Turkish young person, I expect only empathy and understanding from adults towards young people. Even though we go through very difficult situations, we still cannot be united. I would not want to live anywhere else but Turkey. Yes, I will not live in Turkey for 3 years, but my biggest wish is to go back.

"Turkey is my home and nowhere else can make me feel that"

As young people, we complain, yes, this is because we do not know our potential and values. I am sure that every young person has a love and respect for Atatürk that does not fit inside, at least it makes me feel good to think like that. As a student who travelled abroad, I can easily say that Turkey is my home and no other place can make me feel this.

The most beautiful thing about living in Turkey is the family and friends that surround you... Family is a broader concept for us, it is not limited to blood ties.

"The history of our country is very inspiring, it is impossible not to be proud of all the efforts and struggles"

I recently went to the musical 1923 at Zorlu PSM, where my awareness increased even more. Part of me feels guilty about leaving, but part of me is happy that I prioritise my education.

We are going through a very interesting period, the country is divided into two... In such a situation, I think we need change in order for the country to become a state that we can be proud of. We need to protect one of the most important principles of Atatürk in our country, "Secularism". And science... I am worried about where our country stands on this map. I think we are going backwards culturally and socially.

"I think that more artists coming to our country from abroad will give hope to young people again"

I feel like the years when my mum and dad grew up were very different. In the past, there were many cultural and socially rich events in Turkey. For example, Eurovision, a music contest with a large global participation and watched by millions of spectators.

If we talk about today, yes, we still host foreign artists, but many young people cannot afford it because of the prices and the cost of living. We want this situation to get better in the future.

While concluding my words, I would like to say that Turkish youth are very important for this country, because we are responsible for the future of this country and we are aware of this responsibility!

"How happy is the one who says I am a Turk!"

"Wherever I am in the world, I will always want to return to Istanbul with a great longing"

I am Selin, I am 19 years old. I was born, raised and lived in Istanbul until last year. Last year I moved to France for my university education. I travelled as much as I could in Turkey, I had the opportunity to see more than 10 countries and many cities in the world. As a result of these experiences, I can say that no place is like Istanbul and Istanbul will always have a special place in my heart. Wherever I am in the world, I will always want to return to Istanbul with a great longing, because this is my home, my homeland and where I belong. When you move abroad, you have the opportunity to look at and evaluate your own country with new perspectives as an outsider.

"Our Turkish youth's view of the world, vision and consciousness are far ahead of our peers in Europe"

As a result of the conversations I had with my school friends, teachers and the people I meet in daily life while living abroad, I can say with certainty that the world view, vision and consciousness of Turkish young people like us are much ahead of our peers in Europe. Although we are worried about our country and can never see the future clearly, we always work and strive to move our country to a better place.

"It is out of the question for us to lose hope and give up for this homeland, which Atatürk founded with a thousand struggles and entrusted to young people"

The starting point of our War of Independence, which has a vital importance in the history of our country, is the date of 19 th of May 1919, when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk landed in Samsun. Atatürk's gift of this important day to the Turkish youth and the fact that today is celebrated every year as Youth and Sports Day is an indication of how much he trusted the youth in the future of the country. It is out of the question for us to lose hope and give up for this homeland, which Atatürk founded with a thousand and one struggles and entrusted to the youth. Although we experience difficult times from time to time as a country, we will continue to work hard for the bright future of our country and we will be young people worthy of our country.

"In my opinion, both we young people and the generations before us should approach each other with tolerance, work hand in hand and strive to make our country a more livable country."

Although I am currently living abroad, I am wholeheartedly committed to these thoughts. No matter how much better conditions people seem to live in abroad, there is nothing like living in one's own country, with one's own people. In my opinion, both we young people and the generations before us should approach each other with tolerance, join hands and strive to make our country a more livable country, and this should be the most important duty of the Turkish youth, as Atatürk said:

"Young people! It is you who reinforce and sustain our courage. With the education and wisdom you have received, you will be the most valuable symbols of humanity and civilisation, of love for homeland and freedom of thought. You are the rising new generation, the future. We founded the Republic, you are the ones who will raise it and keep it alive."

-Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Thank you.

"I feel that my roots are in Turkey and I strive to exist where I belong."

I am Yaren. I am 22 years old, born and raised in Istanbul. Today, I am a student at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Painting. I feel that my roots are in Turkey, which harbours a historical memory in every inch of its soil, and I strive to exist in Turkey.

I have travelled to many parts of Anatolia, which feeds the history of my country and the corpus of artworks, and witnessed its beauties. Artists witness the flow of time. They express the current time through different eyes, with different subjects, and aesthetically accumulate the documents of history that make the memory permanent. The great sacrifices and epics in our history have been a source of inspiration for today's Turkish artists to have a brave and free style and to tend to pursue the new and civilised.

"19 May is a distinguished example among our historical epics"

On 19 May, when the War of Independence began, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's landing in Samsun is an example of these epics. Turkish artists travelling to Anatolia to provide education, spread art and produce works is also a result of this example.

About The Light of Turkish Youth Project...

Every action taken in the name of art in my country gives me the strength and hope to become a painter today. I designed the visuals within the scope of this project in which young people growing up in Turkey freely express what they think for their country, their hopes, their enthusiasm, their endurance and the diversity of the paths they walk for their dreams.?

While trying to express the hopeful faces of the future as much as I can, I did not neglect to include myself among them because I am one of those who are building their future in this country.?

My expectations are primarily from my own homeland; for this reason, the 19 May Youth and Sports Day is very relevant to me in terms of stepping into the revolution and acting boldly and confidently in defending our rights for our future. Happy Youth and Sports Day to all those who dream of a civilised and free future and who will learn from the lessons of history and make conscious decisions about what they will write in their own history.

We read a special series of articles in Yaz?yor... this week: The Light of Turkish Youth!

We have witnessed a portrait of Turkey and the accumulated youth insights with the words of our young people who are the pride of the Turkish nation.

As the Yaz?yor... team, we would like to thank our 6 conscious and hopeful young writers for their unique and invaluable contributions!

Happy 19 May Commemoration of Atatürk and Youth Day!

We would all be happy if you leave your likes and comments.

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