National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
Acknowledging the boundless capacity within each child to shape the world, society embraces their remarkable potential, fostering an environment that nurtures, inspires, and uplifts future generations.
Celebrate children's potential and cultural heritage by promoting educational travel experiences and family-focused activities tied to Turkey's founding legacy.
- Discover Turkey's child-friendly attractions and cultural landmarks on National Sovereignty and Children's Day
- How parents can inspire the next generation: lessons from Turkey's commitment to children
- Plan a meaningful family trip to Istanbul or Antalya to experience this historic celebration firsthand
This day can trace its history back to the early 20th century as it commemorates the founding of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, which took place on April 23, 1920. This was the time when the Ottoman sultan was denounced and the nation sought to become a new independent state that was modern and secular.
The following year, on May 2, 1921, National Sovereignty Day was declared an official holiday by the Turkish government. Then, six years later, the idea for children’s day was added, making Turkey the first country in the world to declare a national holiday for children. Later, it was decided that the day would be officially renamed to be called “National Sovereignty and Children’s Day”. The nation of Cyprus also celebrates this as a holiday.
One fun activity that takes place on National Sovereignty and Children’s Day is that local and national politicians, including the president of the country, turn their positions over to children for the day. Although this is obviously only ceremonial, it is all done in good fun and recognizes the hope for the ways the children will be responsible for the government in the years to come.
When UNESCO declared 1979 to be the Year of the Child, some media companies in Turkey organized an International Children’s Festival to be celebrated on this same day. Starting with five countries, the number of nations celebrating this festival has expanded each year as a time for children to have cultural exchanges and learn about one another.
Visit Turkey for National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
Get immersed in the culture of this day by planning a visit to Turkey in honor of National Sovereignty and Children’s Day. Book those tickets to Istanbul or Antalya and then pop into some of the local celebrations in the cities or towns to see exactly what this day is all about! Turkey has a wide range of things for tourists to see and do, including museums, mosques, Roman ruins and so much more. National Sovereignty and Children’s Day FAQsWhich countries celebrate National Sovereignty and Children’s Day?In addition to Turkey, other countries that celebrate the children’s festival on April 23 have included Cyprus, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria and dozens more.Who started Children’s Day in Turkey?The idea for this day came from the first president of Turkey, Mustafa Kemel, in 1927.When did Turkey gain sovereignty?The Turkish War of Independence was fought from 1919 to 1923 and independence from the Ottoman empire was secured. [1]Is Turkey in the European Union?No. Turkey started their candidacy for the EU in 1993 but a great deal of controversy has stalled out the talks. [1]