The 104th anniversary of May 19, 1919, which marks the beginning of the struggle for independence, was celebrated in Nilüfer with a walk attended by thousands of citizens. Following the walk on FSM Boulevard, the band Manga performed a concert at Nilüfer Republic Square.
On the 104th anniversary of May 19, 1919, one of the turning points in the history of the Republic of Turkey, thousands of citizens celebrated the holiday together at the events organized by Nilüfer Municipality. Thousands of people participated in the walk held on Fatih Sultan Mehmet Boulevard this year as part of the celebrations for the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day. The walk, organized by Nilüfer Municipality under the slogan “Walking towards the Second Century on May 19th,” took place with enthusiasm. Nilüfer Mayor Turgay Erdem, CHP Bursa Deputy Kayıhan Pala, former Nilüfer Mayor and CHP Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Candidate Mustafa Bozbey also participated in the walk. Those who participated in the walk, which attracted great interest from the youth, walked to Nilüfer Municipality Community Center accompanied by marches. The festive atmosphere continued at Nilüfer Republic Square in front of the Community Center.
Mayor Turgay Erdem also addressed the citizens gathered in the square. Mayor Erdem expressed their happiness to celebrate the holiday dedicated to the youth together on the 100th anniversary of the Republic. In his speech, Mayor Erdem continued as follows: “104 years ago, the road to the establishment of the Republic started with the first step taken in Samsun on May 19, 1919. May 19th is the day when the independence struggle led by Mustafa Kemal began. I want you to imagine the situation the country was in those days. Think of many regions of the country being occupied by the enemy. A society that was defeated, destroyed, and far from hope. In such circumstances, the national struggle initiated by Mustafa Kemal landing in Samsun ignited a tiny spark of hope in the hearts of the impoverished people. And with that hope, with that conviction, the War of Independence was won. We owe a lot to those who created this miracle where hope ended. They taught us that if we believe, we can achieve the impossible. If we can breathe in an independent country today, we owe it to those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Therefore, on the 104th anniversary of May 19, 1919, we respectfully and gratefully remember Mustafa Kemal, the Great Leader, who ignited the fire of the national struggle, and all our martyrs who gave their lives for this homeland.”
Addressing the youth, Mayor Erdem said that May 19th is a symbol of the first step taken on the path to freedom. Mayor Erdem stated, “May 19th is the symbol of embracing hope against all odds, of the dedication of the Anatolian people who fought with half-full bellies in destitution, of the symbol of the belief that created the victory. Mustafa Kemal says, ‘May 19th is the day I was born.’ He says, ‘We will leave everything to the youth. The hopeful, illuminated flowers of the future are them. All my hope is in the youth,’ and he dedicated the day he initiated the national struggle to you, the youth. Today, each of you is the young Mustafa Kemals who love their homeland and will protect this legacy. You are the hope of Atatürk.”
Mayor Erdem concluded his speech by saying, “We trust in the freedom spirit, courage, hope, and fighting power of the youth. Dear young people, this country is yours. The future is yours. I congratulate the entire nation on the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.”
After his speech, Mayor Erdem remotely gave the start signal for the 100 km trail, which is part of the SPX Dağyenice Ultra Trail and organized for the 100th anniversary of the Republic, starting from Gölyazı. An illuminated show added color to the celebrations following Mayor Erdem’s speeches, and the excitement reached its peak when the popular band Manga took the stage. The band performed their songs along with the crowd in attendance. Bilge Anya Katırcı, a 10th-grade student from Şükrü Şankaya Anatolian High School, accompanied the band’s performance of the song “Cevapsız Sorular” on the drums. Mehmet Necip Sinan, Furkan Şenbağ, and Hasan Hüseyin Acar, who were part of the concert’s organizing team and lost their lives in a traffic accident the day before the concert, were also commemorated by displaying their photos on the screen. Ferman Akgül, the lead vocalist of Manga, expressed his emotions on behalf of the team, saying, “It is really difficult to perform on stage here today. We lost three of our friends who put effort into organizing the concert, and we will never forget them. I would like to thank all our friends who worked behind the scenes on this difficult day.”
Source: (BYZHA) Beyaz Haber Ajansı
