Home » National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Turkey
Lifestyle

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Turkey

ANKARA, TURKEY - APRIL 23: Children decorate their houses for the National Sovereignty and Children's Day in Ankara, Turkey on April 23, 2020. This year children are celebrating National Sovereignty and Children's Day at home due to measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Turkey celebrates the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the parliament. The celebrations focus on children because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, emphasized that children are the nation's future. ( Volkan Furuncu - Anadolu Agency )
By ModNews

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, called for an election amid the war of independence after the Ottoman Empire’s defeat in World War I. On April 23, 1920, the Grand National Assembly held its first session.

The April 23 celebrations focus on children after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, dedicated the day to children as the nation’s future.

Turkey will celebrate the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the parliament on Thursday.

Turkey is marking National Sovereignty and Children’s Day today with celebrations at home. A joyous occasion bringing together children from around the world, the celebration this year was affected, like other events, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stuck at home due to the coronavirus outbreak, families opted to celebrate Turkey’s Children Day on their balconies. (DHA Photo)

The country banned large-scale public gatherings and ordered a curfew for those under 20 in the fight against the outbreak. The majority of the population is in self-isolation as well.

Thus, the day traditionally marked outdoors with children showcasing their dancing skills, reciting poems and singing songs, is a muted occasion this year.

Yet, the state and schools encourage children to mark the event at home. Public broadcaster TRT opened a website allowing children to send videos of celebrations at home, while several TV stations also joined the initiative.

Social media is also awash with parents broadcasting their children’s preparations for the activities for the day. Children are also called upon to recite the national anthem from the balconies of their houses this evening to mark the day.

All across the country, officials distributed flags to families cooped up in their homes to join the festivities from their balconies. According to authorities, more than 100,000 flags were sent out to families in Istanbul alone.

With schools out due to the outbreak, Education Minister Ziya Selçuk said the online education portal EBA would also hold special programs for the event.

“I invite all our children to log in to the EBA system at 9:30 a.m. I have no doubt we are all joyful about this day; therefore, we should share the joy together. We will have a Children’s Day special on the portal. We will also have special surprises for children as well,” the minister said.

This year, celebrations will also have to skip a longstanding tradition: children temporarily taking over seats normally occupied by adults, from the president to ministers, governors and police chiefs.

The year 2020 marks the 100th year of the opening of the Grand National Assembly, a date that was subsequently incorporated into Children’s Day.

Parliament held a special centennial session today, following a visit to Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the republic, by lawmakers and prominent politicians. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, for the first time ever, the leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, did not attend the special session. Erdoğan watched the session from his current residence at Huber Mansion in Istanbul.

“I congratulate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish parliament, and the Children’s Day of all children in Turkey and around the world,” Erdoğan said on Twitter.

Established on April 23, 1920, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey paved the way for the foundation of the Republic of Turkey. April 23 was marked as National Sovereignty Day exactly one year after the opening of the first Grand National Assembly.

On April 23, 1929, Atatürk started the April 23 festival as a gift to the children of the world. In 1929, it was also celebrated as Children’s Day for the first time. In 1979, children from many countries of the world began coming to Turkey, making the day internationally recognized. Turkey is the first and only country to dedicate a national day to its children.

ANKARA, TURKEY – Elementary school student Fatma Berra Tolu poses for a photo at her decorated house ahead of the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Ankara, Turkey on April 22, 2020. This year children are celebrating National Sovereignty and Children’s Day at home due to measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Turkey celebrates the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the parliament. The celebrations focus on children because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, emphasized that children are the nation’s future. ( Emin Sansar – Anadolu Agency )
ANKARA, TURKEY – Elementary school student Mehmet Artun Duru poses for a photo at his decorated house ahead of the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Ankara, Turkey on April 22, 2020. This year children are celebrating National Sovereignty and Children’s Day at home due to measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Turkey celebrates the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the parliament. The celebrations focus on children because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, emphasized that children are the nation’s future. ( Emin Sansar – Anadolu Agency )
ANKARA, TURKEY – Preschool student Ahmet Tuna Duru poses for a photo at his decorated house ahead of the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Ankara, Turkey on April 22, 2020. This year children are celebrating National Sovereignty and Children’s Day at home due to measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Turkey celebrates the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the parliament. The celebrations focus on children because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, emphasized that children are the nation’s future. ( Emin Sansar – Anadolu Agency )
ANKARA, TURKEY Elementary school student Seyda Sagirkaya decorates a door at her house for the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Ankara, Turkey on April 23, 2020. This year children are celebrating National Sovereignty and Children’s Day at home due to measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Turkey celebrates the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the parliament. The celebrations focus on children because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, emphasized that children are the nation’s future. ( Halil Sağırkaya – Anadolu Agency )
DENIZLI, TURKEY – Citizens applause and sing along with a marching band from their balconies within celebrations marking the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Denizli, Turkey on April 23, 2020. This year children are celebrating National Sovereignty and Children’s Day at home due to measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Turkey celebrates the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the parliament. The celebrations focus on children because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, emphasized that children are the nation’s future. ( Sebahatdin Zeyrek – Anadolu Agency )
DENIZLI, TURKEY – Citizens applause and sing along with a marching band from their balconies within celebrations marking the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Denizli, Turkey on April 23, 2020. This year children are celebrating National Sovereignty and Children’s Day at home due to measures against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Turkey celebrates the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the parliament. The celebrations focus on children because Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, emphasized that children are the nation’s future. ( Sebahatdin Zeyrek – Anadolu Agency )

A Turkish Airlines plane flew over the country on Thursday making the shape of the country’s flag with its flight path to mark centennial celebrations for the founding of Turkey’s parliament.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed a crescent and a star over Turkey outlined by a Boeing 777 in celebration of the occasion, while Turkish television stations showed children with flags on their neighbourhood streets.

A day given to children by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: April 23, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

About the author

modfxmarket

Add Comment

Click here to post a comment

Donate

Donate With MetaMask

Donate ETH Via PAY With Metamask