National Sovereignty and Children's Day

National Sovereignty and Children's Day (Turkish: Ulusal

Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) is a public holiday in Turkey
National Sovereignty and
commemorating the foundation of the Grand National Assembly Children's Day
of Turkey, on 23 April 1920. It is the only holiday, which is
devoted to all children of the world by Ataturk. It is also observed
by Northern Cyprus.[1]

Contents
Background
Customs
Events at schools take place across
Celebration gallery
Turkey on Children's Day.
References
Official Ulusal Egemenlik ve
External links name Çocuk
Bayramı (Turkish)
Also called The Twenty-third of
Background
April

23 April is the day that the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Observed by Turkey
was founded in 1920. The national council denounced the Northern Cyprus
government of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI and announced a Type National
temporary constitution.[2]
Significance The day in 1920 that
This national day, April 23 Children's Day, in Turkey is a unique the Grand National
event. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Assembly of Turkey
Atatürk, presented April 23 to all the world's children to emphasize was founded
that they are successor of the future.[3][4] During the War of Celebrations Concerts, parades,
Independence, Grand National Assembly met in Ankara and laid
events at schools,
down the foundations of a new, independent, secular and modern
republic from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. Following the cultural programmes
defeat of the Allied invasion forces on September 9, 1922 and the Date 23 April
signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923, Atatürk started Next time 23 April 2020
his task of establishing the institutions of the new state.[2] Over the
next eight years, Atatürk and his followers adopted sweeping Frequency annual
reforms to create a modern Turkey, divorced from her Ottoman
past.[5] In unprecedented moves, he dedicated the sovereignty day to the children and entrusted in the hands
of the youth the protection of this sovereignty and independence.[3]

Customs
Every year, the children in Turkey celebrate National Sovereignty and Children's Day as a national holiday.
Similar to other April events, Children's Day celebrations often take place outdoors.[6] Schools participate in
week-long ceremonies marked by performances in all fields in large stadiums watched by the entire
nation.[6] Among the activities on this day, the children send their representatives to replace state officials
and high ranking civil servants in their offices. The President, the cabinet ministers, provincial governors,
and mayors all turn over their positions to children's representatives. These children, in turn, sign executive
orders relating to educational and environmental policies.[7][8] On this day, the children also replace the
parliamentarians in the Grand National Assembly and hold a special session to discuss matters concerning
children's issues.[9][10]

Over the last two decades, the Turkish Republic has been working hard to internationalize this important
day. Their efforts resulted in large number of countries sending groups of children to Turkey to participate in
the above stated festivities. During their stay in Turkey, the foreign children are housed in Turkish homes
and find an important opportunity to interact with the Turkish children and learn about each other's countries
and cultures.[11] The foreign children groups also participate in the special session of the Grand National
Assembly.[12]

Celebration gallery
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (mid) in Murat Boz performing on stage as
Ankara on the "Day of National part of the TRT International April
Sovereignty", present-day the 23 Children's Festival (2008)
"National Sovereignty and
Children's Day" (1929)

Children from North Macedonia

performing folk dance on the street
in Istanbul (2014)

References
1. "2019'da 14'ü resmi, 119 gün tatil var" (https://www.kibrisgazetesi.com/ekonomi/2019da-14u-re
smi-119-gun-tatil-var-h56202.html). Kıbrıs Gazetesi (in Turkish). December 17, 2018.
Retrieved April 9, 2020.
2. "The Fundamental Law and abolition of the sultanate" (https://www.britannica.com/place/Turke
y/History#ref44426). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
3. "23 Nisan" (http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/kultursanat/23_Nisan.htm) (in Turkish). TBMM Kültür,
Sanat ve Yayın Başkanlığı. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
4. "23 Nisan Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı – Mesajları ve şiirleri" (http://www.sabah.com.t
r/yasam/2015/04/23/23-nisan-ulusal-egemenlik-ve-cocuk-bayrami-mesajlari-ve-siirleri). Sabah
(in Turkish). April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
 5. "Turkey under Mustafa Kemal" (https://www.britannica.com/place/Turkey/Declaration-of-the-Tu
rkish-republic#ref44428). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
6. "23 Nisan Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı tüm yurtta coşkuyla kutlandı" (https://www.sozc
u.com.tr/2019/gundem/23-nisan-ulusal-egemenlik-ve-cocuk-bayrami-tum-yurtta-coskuyla-kutla
ndi-4532142/). Sözcü (in Turkish). April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
7. "23 Nisan ile özdeşleşen koltuk devirleri gerçekleşti! Makamlar bugün miniklerin oldu" (https://
www.sabah.com.tr/galeri/turkiye/23-nisan-ile-ozdeslesen-koltuk-devirleri-gerceklesti-makamlar-
bugun-miniklerin-oldu). Sabah (in Turkish). April 23, 2019. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
8. "Büyükşehirde 23 Nisan'da Koltuk Değişimi" (https://www.haberler.com/buyuksehirde-23-nisan
-da-koltuk-degisimi-11977567-haberi/) (in Turkish). Haberler.com. April 23, 2019. Retrieved
April 9, 2020.
9. "95 yıldır aynı heyecan" (http://www.haberturk.com/gundem/haber/1069217-95-yildir-ayni-heye
can). Habertürk (in Turkish). April 23, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
10. "Turkey celebrates Sovereignty Day, Children's Day on April 23" (http://www.hurriyetdailynews.
com/turkey-celebrates-sovereignty-day-childrens-day-on-april-23.aspx?pageID=238&nID=814
47&NewsCatID=341). Hürriyet Daily News. April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
11. Alkan, Behçet (April 20, 2017). "Dünya çocukları Türk misafirperverliğiyle tanışıyor" (https://ww
w.aa.com.tr/tr/yasam/dunya-cocuklari-turk-misafirperverligiyle-tanisiyor/801200) (in Turkish).
Anadolu Agency. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
12. Gürcanlı, Zeynep (April 23, 2019). "TBMM'de 23 Nisan özel oturumu" (https://www.sozcu.com.t
r/2019/gundem/tbmmde-23-nisan-ozel-oturumu-4533549/). Sözcü (in Turkish). Retrieved
April 9, 2020.

External links
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title=National_Sovereignty_and_Children%27s_Day&oldid=952656277"

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