National Sovereignty and Children’s Day

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) is a national holiday in Turkey, always celebrated on April 23rd. We commemorate the first gathering of the Grand National Assembly (the Turkish Parliament), which took place on April 23, 1920, by attending local ceremonies or laying wreaths at monuments of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. The biggest ceremony takes place at the Ataturk Mausoleum in Ankara.

Because Ataturk dedicated the Turkish Republic to children, Turkish school children take seats in the Parliament for the day and symbolically govern the country. They elect a president who then addresses the country on national television. Children’s festivals take place throughout the country. The state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) brings children, aged eight to 14, from different countries around the world to Turkey. These children stay with Turkish families for a week and participate in children’s festivals, which culminate is a gala-performance on April 23.

We wish a happy Children Day to all children and we wish them to spend their lives with health, joy and cheer. Happy April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day.

For more information about the festival see the link:

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/pg/photo-gallery/national-sovereignty-and-childrens-day-in-turkey–/0