Asst.Prof. Sebahattin Devecioglu Fırat University School of Physical Education and Sports

Asst.Prof. Sebahattin Devecioglu

Fırat UniversitySchool of Physical Education and Sports

Elazığ, Turkey -2013

The Birth of the Celebration of Youth The Birth of the Celebration of Youth and and

Sports and the U.N.’s Agenda for Youth Sports and the U.N.’s Agenda for Youth and the Encouragement of Sports and the Encouragement of Sports

PIONEER OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: PIONEER OF THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS: ATATURKATATURK

International ConferenceInternational ConferenceOrganized by: The Light Millennium and College of Arts and Letters at theOrganized by: The Light Millennium and College of Arts and Letters at the

Stevens Institute of Technology, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, April 19 -20, 20113Hoboken, New Jersey, April 19 -20, 20113


PurposePurposeThe purpose of this study is to emphasize meaning and importance The purpose of this study is to emphasize meaning and importance

ofof 19 May Youth and Sports 19 May Youth and Sports Day Day presented presented by Ataturk by Ataturk to youth, to to youth, to

determine its sports practices from past to present, and to assess determine its sports practices from past to present, and to assess the day within the framework of the day within the framework of Millennium Development Goals of Millennium Development Goals of

United NationsUnited Nations

Similar to goals and policies set by United Nations for today, radical revolutions of Ataturk, the founder of Republic of Turkey, to make an empire, which had collapsed and been imbedded in history in terms of social, economic and cultural aspects, reach up to the level of modern civilizations are seen exemplary by many countries in the world.


Among the most Among the most important important

approaches and approaches and revolutions of revolutions of

AtaturkAtaturk that are that are accepted all over accepted all over

the world, the the world, the importance he importance he bestowed upon bestowed upon the youth bears the youth bears

remarkable remarkable features.features.


19 May 1919, 19 May 1919, which is which is the first step of the great the first step of the great revolution within the War revolution within the War

of Independence, was of Independence, was accepted as the accepted as the “Youth “Youth and Sports Day” and Sports Day” on on 19 19

May 1938. May 1938. Being among Being among the important national the important national holidays of the Turkish holidays of the Turkish

nation, nation, “May 19 the “May 19 the Commemoration of Commemoration of

Ataturk Youth and Sports Ataturk Youth and Sports Day” Day” has been settled in has been settled in the Turkish culture and the Turkish culture and widely esteemed by the widely esteemed by the society in a commonly society in a commonly official and unofficial official and unofficial

way. way. History of nations History of nations

involves blurryinvolves blurry, , rough rough and dark periods, and dark periods,

Celebration of May 19 the Celebration of May 19 the Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth Commemoration of Ataturk, Youth

and Sports Dayand Sports Day

The founder of the Republic of Turkey,

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk anticipated

that the only solution against those who

intended to cause the nation to go back with

their old-fashioned opinions as from the

beginning of the National Struggle was

in youth and young opinions and foresaw that generations who would be raised with a

modern mentality would develop his

work even further and keep it alive for

eternity by protecting it from all kinds of

dangers in the future.


Thus, Ataturk Thus, Ataturk commended the commended the

republic which he republic which he called called “my “my

greatest workgreatest work” ” to to the youth and the youth and presented the presented the date date May 19,

when he set off when he set off for Samsun to for Samsun to

start the War of start the War of Independence, to Independence, to the Turkish youth the Turkish youth as the as the “Youth and

Sports Day”


Placing a great Placing a great value on this day, value on this day, Ataturk started his Ataturk started his Great Speech on Great Speech on May 19 and when May 19 and when he was asked about he was asked about his birthday, he his birthday, he answered answered “why not May 19”.


Having been Having been entrusted with the entrusted with the Republic of Turkey by Republic of Turkey by Ataturk, Ataturk, the youth the youth will will progress on the way of progress on the way of science and modernity science and modernity referred by him in full referred by him in full unity, glorify our unity, glorify our nation, arrange our nation, arrange our future, and make it future, and make it enlightened and enlightened and content. content.


In his statement

“ “Youth; who have Youth; who have taken on the task of taken on the task of realizing my future realizing my future goals! I am very goals! I am very pleased and happy pleased and happy since I will leave since I will leave this country to a this country to a youth like you, youth like you, which understands which understands meme””


Turkey started a powerful

modernization process in 1923

following the foundation of the

Republic under the leadership of Mustafa

Kemal Ataturk. A great importance was

placed on the youth, as well as their education and

cultural development in the beginning of

this process

Youth and Sports in TurkeyYouth and Sports in Turkey

50.5% of the Turkish population are

younger than 30. Approximately 20

million of our population consisted

of 14-29 year-old young population by

the end of 2011. In case that the rate

of increase continues as it is, 70

% of Turkish population will be in the working age in

2023.


Turkey is the Turkey is the country with the country with the highest young highest young

population-to-total population-to-total population ratio in population ratio in

EuropeEurope. . This This

demographic demographic structure could be structure could be

turned into an turned into an advantage through advantage through

effective and effective and qualified politics qualified politics aimed at youthaimed at youth


1982 Constitution of the 1982 Constitution of the Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkey, Youth, Youth, sports and sportsmen were sports and sportsmen were assured in assured in the 58th and 59th the 58th and 59th articles of the Constitutionarticles of the Constitution..

The Ministry of Youth and The Ministry of Youth and Sports sustains its activities Sports sustains its activities countrywide by grounding countrywide by grounding especially on the provision, especially on the provision, which is included in the which is included in the 59th 59th article of our Constitution article of our Constitution and asserts, and asserts, ““The government The government takes precautions to develop takes precautions to develop the physical and mental the physical and mental health of Turkish citizens health of Turkish citizens from all ages, encourages the from all ages, encourages the deployment of sports among deployment of sports among masses and protects the masses and protects the successful sportsmensuccessful sportsmen””


Three slogans Three slogans “ “Peace-Participation-Peace-Participation-

Development” Development”

were put into practice in were put into practice in the the World Youth Year of World Youth Year of 1985 1985 for ten years and for ten years and anticipated as a target anticipated as a target for for member countries of member countries of United Nations until United Nations until 1995 1995 and it was required and it was required to increase the number to increase the number and variety of sports and variety of sports organizations that would organizations that would effectuate these three effectuate these three slogans ideally. slogans ideally.

CONCLUSION AND CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS

During the press conference that During the press conference that was organized in the was organized in the General General Center of UN in New York, Center of UN in New York, the the Secretary-General of the UN Secretary-General of the UN Kofi Annan emphasized Kofi Annan emphasized the the importance of sports in importance of sports in reaching the peace reaching the peace and made an and made an explanation as follows, explanation as follows, ''''Sports Sports is a universal language and has is a universal language and has the power of uniting people no the power of uniting people no matter what their origins, matter what their origins, histories, religious beliefs, and histories, religious beliefs, and economic conditions are'' economic conditions are'' and and expressed that the United expressed that the United Nations declared the year 2005 Nations declared the year 2005 as as the the '' International Year of '' International Year of Sport and Physical EducationSport and Physical Education'''.'.

According to the According to the youth youth report titled Turkey 2008 report titled Turkey 2008 within within Human Human Development Report of Development Report of the the United Nations United Nations Development Programme; Development Programme; a definite youth policy and a definite youth policy and institutions, which would institutions, which would support the youth, are support the youth, are required in Turkey. required in Turkey.

This need for a definite This need for a definite youth policy is valid not youth policy is valid not only for Turkey, but also only for Turkey, but also for North and South for North and South American and European American and European countriescountries

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

We can say We can say : that goals : that goals and policies of Ataturk and policies of Ataturk

related to youth and related to youth and sports, his activities, sports, his activities,

organizations and organizations and studies were studies were

influencing factor for influencing factor for United Nations United Nations

Millennium Millennium Development Goals, Development Goals,

accepted and taken to accepted and taken to national development national development

program by 195 program by 195 countries (193 countries (193

countries and two countries and two observers; Palestine observers; Palestine

and Vatican), and Vatican), especially should it be especially should it be

compared to `less compared to `less developed and developed and

developing countries`. developing countries`.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

CONCLUSION

As a consequenceAs a consequence, , the title of the title of “the Advocacy of “the Advocacy of Children’s Right to Play, Protection of Youth and Children’s Right to Play, Protection of Youth and

Extension of Sports” Extension of Sports” should be included inshould be included in the Millennium Development Goals of the United the Millennium Development Goals of the United

Nations Nations in order to enable and support in order to enable and support Children/Young People and consequently the Children/Young People and consequently the

adults of the near future to become healthy and adults of the near future to become healthy and happy by means of sports and perpetuate their happy by means of sports and perpetuate their

such aspects. such aspects. The forthcoming studies to be conducted in this The forthcoming studies to be conducted in this

context should be supported and new projects context should be supported and new projects should be developed. should be developed.

Thank

you……

Asst.Prof. Sebahattin Devecioglu Fırat University School of Physical Education and Sports

Documents

commemoration of ataturk

turkish youth

celebration of youth

light millennium

sports elaz

sports daypioneer

sports practices

radical revolutions