Promoters of İstanbul's bid to host the 2020 Olympics remain confident that the Turkish people are united behind their campaign despite the fierce anti-government protests across the country in recent days.

"Despite these recent events, all sections of Turkey remain united in our dream to host our nation's first ever Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020," İstanbul 2020 backers said in a statement Sunday. "The slogan for our Olympic bid is 'Bridge Together,' and there is a common desire to unite in the Olympic spirit and show the world that we can work together for a better Turkey."

The bid organizers say they're monitoring the demonstrations in İstanbul "very carefully," and while they're buoyed by the "positive community spirit in helping to clean up and repair damage," the situation remains fluid.

İstanbul is vying against Madrid and Tokyo for the right to stage the 2020 Summer Games, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) set to select the host city in a vote in September.

All three bid teams made presentations at the SportAccord Convention in St. Petersburg, Russia, last week -- each claiming to be the safest and most financially secure choice.

İstanbul is bidding for the fifth time.

"In the past, Turkey bid for the games as an emerging nation," İstanbul bid leader Hasan Arat told the conference last week. "This time, Turkey is bidding as an emerged nation."

Cihan