MAY 19 YOUTH AND SPORTS DAY CELEBRATED NATIONWIDE WITH JOYFUL CEREMONIES
May 19, Ataturk Commemoration and Youth and Sports Day, which marks the 90th anniversary of the day Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, landed in the Black Sea province of Samsun to launch the struggle for national independence, was celebrated with major ceremonies across Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) yesterday. The first official ceremony to mark the day was held at Anitkabir (Ataturk's mausoleum) in Ankara. Headed by President Abdullah Gul, high-level state officials and politicians, including Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Constitutional Court Chief Justice Hasim Kilic, Chief of General Staff Gen. Ilker Basbug, Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli and members of the Cabinet, attended this ceremony. President Gul laid a wreath at Ataturk's tomb, and later observed a minute of silence along with those in attendance, followed by the singing of the national anthem. Signing the Anitkabir's memorial guestbook at the Misak-y Milli (National Pact) Tower, Gul wrote: "Great Ataturk, we stand before you with pride and joy on the 90th anniversary of your setting foot in Samsun for the first time at the start of our struggle for independence. We have no doubt that the young generation will work to carry our country to new horizons in the race of civilization with the sense of responsibility it inherited from older generations. The achievements and successes of our republic will continue to empower our nation and state. Turkish youth are determined to further strengthen the republic you founded with great sacrifice. This determination will be passed on to other generations, and the Republic of Turkey, a democratic, secular, and social state ruled by law, will exist forever." In his writing, Gul also stressed that the Turkish youth, with their firm determination and deep love for their nation, would bring the Republic of Turkey to reach ideals set forth by Ataturk 90 years ago. Also many people from throughout the country visited Anitkabir all day long, decorating Ataturk's tomb with flowers. Ceremonies continued at Ankara's 19 Mayis Stadium, where youth groups and students performed dances and athletic activities following a parade of students, folk groups and persons with disabilities, as well as other youth groups. Similar ceremonies and stadium celebrations were also held in the country's major cities such as Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Manisa, Diyarbakir, Erzurum and Konya. Also Samsun hosted major celebrations to mark the day, which was also attended by Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan. Many deputies and military officials accompanied Toptan. In related news, both President Gul and Premier Erdogan received young people from across Turkey on the occasion of the 27th Youth Week yesterday, and gave them some advices, stressing that future Turkey would be shaped by today's young people. During his meeting with young people, Premier Erdogan called for more young participation in politics, urging political leaders to make room for younger politicians. /Sabah-Turkiye/
DAVUTOGLU: "TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESS IS A ONE-WAY ROAD WITH NO TURNING BACK"
"Turkey's EU membership process is a one-way road with no turning back," said yesterday Foreign Minister Ali Davutoglu. Davutoglu, currently in Brussels together with chief negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis attended the 47th session of the EC-Turkey Association Council, with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn, Jan Kohout, Foreign Minister of Czech Republic, which holds the EU term presidency, and Sweden Foreign Minister Carl Bildt whose country set to assume the rotating term presidency on June 1 also in attendance. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Davutoglu reiterated Turkey's determination to speed up the EU reform efforts. Rehn praised Davutoglu's constructive role in Turkey's relation with neighbors. For his part, touching on German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy's recent remarks of "privileged partnership" offer, Kohout said that the EU decided to hold membership negotiations with Turkey, scheduled to start in 2005, and the negotiation process will continue in that way. /Star/
CULTURE AND TOURISM MINISTER GUNAY: "TURKEY WILL TRAIN SYRIAN TOURISM TRAINERS"
Culture and Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay stated over the weekend that the trade between Turkey and Syria increased after a free-trade agreement and said that this revival reflected in tourism. Speaking to reporters at the opening of Dedeman Hotel in Damascus, Gunay said that many Turkish groups visit Syria. "There's a common project between Gaziantep and Aleppo," he added. "Syrian Culture Ministry is conducting work on the issue. Syria was the guest country at the East Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition (EMITT) 2099. We have a common destination project. We'll support them on education. We'll educate their trainers. We'll send trainers from the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) and ministry." /Milliyet/
ISTANBUL HOSTS LAST UEFA CUP FINAL GAME
Ukrainian and German football teams Shakhtar Donetsk and Werder Bremen will clash at the Fenerbahce Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul this evening in the last final of the UEFA Cup, which will be known as the Europa League from the 2009-2010 season on. Consequently, Sukru Saracoglu Stadium will not only be honored but will also go into the soccer record books as the last host of the UEFA Cup. The idea behind the establishment of the UEFA Cup was to organize a tournament for European cities in which fairs were regularly organized. The competition began in 1971 and replaced the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. Then in 1999, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was abolished and merged with the UEFA Cup. English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur was the first winner of the UEFA Cup competition, beating the Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 in an all-English final in 1971-72. Russian side Zenit St. Petersburg, with Turkey striker Fatih Tekke, who was acquired from Trabzonspor for 7.5 million euros in 2006, in its lineup, clinched the UEFA Cup last season after beating Scottish Premier League side Glasgow Rangers 2-0 in the final in the City of Manchester Stadium. Turkey will always be remembered whenever and wherever the UEFA Cup is mentioned in the decades or centuries ahead because Istanbul giant Galatasaray brought home the coveted trophy in 2000. Wednesday, May 17, 2000 is a day Turkish soccer lovers will never ever forget. That was the day the Galatasaray Lions won the UEFA Cup after beating English Premier League side Arsenal of England, 4-1, in a penalty shootout in Copenhagen after the game ended 0-0 in regulation and extra time. /Today's Zaman/