Olympic Day, the annual global celebration of sport, healthy living and the Olympic Values was celebrated on 16 June 2026 in Antakya, Hatay.

Organised by the Turkish Olympic Committee (TOC) with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of National Education, the Governorship of Hatay, Hatay Metropolitan Municipality and Trendyol, the event brought together more than 500 children and young people to experience the Olympic Values through sport.

The event was attended by Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı, Hatay Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mehmet Öntürk, TOC President Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan Çakır and members of the TOC Executive Board, as well as Olympian and national gymnast Ayşe Begüm Onbaşı, national athlete Mazlum Demir and national table tennis player Tugay Şirzat Yılmaz, who spent the day engaging with children throughout the programme.

Participants had the opportunity to experience a wide variety of sports and fun activities alongside national athletes, including athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, gymnastics, darts, floor curling, wrestling, tug of war, table tennis, mini golf, archery, taekwondo, volleyball and other sports activities.

Speaking at the event, Hatay Governor Mustafa Masatlı said:

“Today, we are experiencing the unifying, healing and inspiring spirit of sport together with our children and young people in Hatay. Hosting such a meaningful event in Hatay—a city that has been a meeting point of civilizations throughout history and home to ancient sporting traditions—makes this occasion even more special. Hatay is not only an ancient city but also a place that has preserved humanity’s shared values for centuries.

Seeing our children on the playing fields today, watching our young people embrace sport and draw inspiration from our national athletes represents far more than just an event. It reflects Hatay’s determination to grow stronger, the hope flourishing once again in the smiles of our children, and the future taking shape through the aspirations of our young people.

We see this rebirth in the joy of our children, the determination of our youth, the hope of our families and the unifying power of sport. Sport heals, empowers and instils discipline, perseverance, self-confidence and resilience. That is precisely the message Hatay is sharing with the world through Olympic Day.”

TOC President Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan Çakır said:

“Antakya holds a special place not only for us, but also for the sporting world and the Olympic Movement. As the city where the Ancient Olympic Games were held for the last time, we believe there could be no more meaningful place than Hatay to celebrate Olympic Day. We are here to contribute to the recovery process following the 2023 earthquakes and to harness the healing and unifying power of sport.”

The event concluded with participants receiving commemorative certificates signed by IOC President Kirsty Coventry and TOC President Prof. Dr. Veli Ozan Çakır.