Day of national independence and children ( tour. Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı ) - Turkish national holiday dedicated to the independence of Turkey and the children of Turkey.
| National Independence Day and the children of Turkey | |
|---|---|
 Children from the Republic of Macedonia at Children's Day in Turkey, 2014 | |
| Celebrated | April 23 |
| date | |
| Celebration | ceremonies, cultural events |
| Traditions | children replace deputies of parliament, ministers and governors for one day |
Institution
On April 23, 1920, during the war for independence of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk made a speech at the meeting of the Grand National Assembly in Ankara, in which he announced that the children of the whole world are the future of humanity [1] [2] . Kemal also called for laying the foundations of a new, independent, secular and modern republic that will be built on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire. After September 9, 1922, the forces of the Entente were defeated and the Peace of Lausanne was signed, on July 24, 1923, Atatürk began to build a new Turkey. Over the next 8 years, he conducted a series of reforms aimed at cleansing Turkey from the Ottoman past. Ataturk declared April 23 the Day of Sovereignty and dedicated it to the children of Turkey, entrusting them with the protection of an independent country.
Celebration
Every year, children celebrate this holiday in Turkey: the stadiums in the cities hold events with the participation of schools. Children replace official civil servants and high-ranking officials on this day: even the Turkish president, the prime minister of Turkey, cabinet ministers and governors give up their seats to children for a day. Children sign decrees and orders in the field of education and environmental protection. Also on this day, children replace the deputies of the Grand National Assembly and discuss issues relating to family and children's affairs [3] [4] .
Over the past 20 years, Turkish officials have done a great job of internationalizing the holiday, so every year children from different countries come to Turkey to take part in cultural events. Children live in Turkish houses and get acquainted closer with their peers from Turkey, and also participate in a special session of the Grand National Assembly, contributing to the establishment of peace on Earth. Thanks to Turkey’s activities, on April 23, UNICEF was recognized as International Children's Day.
Notes
- ↑ 23 Nisan (tour) . TBMM Kültür, Sanat ve Yayın Başkanlığı. The appeal date is April 23, 2015.
- ↑ 23 Nisan Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı - Mesajları ve şiirleri (tour.) (April 22, 2015). The appeal date is April 23, 2015.
- ↑ 95 yıldır aynı heyecan (tour.) (April 23, 2015). The appeal date is April 23, 2015.
- ↑ Turkey celebrates Sovereignty Day, Children's Day on April 23 (April 22, 2015). The appeal date is April 23, 2015.