Türkiye marks 105th year of parliament on Children's Day
ANKARA
Children will amplify their voices across Türkiye in celebration of National Sovereignty and Children’s Day on April 23 with vibrant performances and multifaceted events, as the parliament marks the 105th anniversary of its foundation.
Nearly a year after the inception of the Turkish War of Independence in 1919, the Turkish parliament convened for the first time in Ankara, heralding a new epoch in the nation’s democracy story.
Türkiye’s founding leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk later dedicated the anniversary of the parliament’s opening to children — an enduring tribute that has since been commemorated as National Sovereignty and Children’s Day.
In keeping with tradition, children symbolically assume the roles of key public figures — president, ministers, mayors and members of parliament— for a day, serving as an emblem of the country’s profound reverence for its future generations.
On April 22, Education Minister Yusuf Tekin took to social media to share a message in celebration of this meaningful occasion.
“In education, we aspire not merely to cultivate academic excellence, but to nurture individuals grounded in our timeless values,” he stated.
“We are convinced that children who think freely, pursue truth and remain tethered to their roots, constitute the most steadfast guarantors of this nation.”
Referring to Atatürk’s gesture as a “graceful legacy,” Tekin said the day symbolized not only a political milestone but also an enduring belief in the future — represented by the innocence and promise of children.
On April 23, the education minister will accompany children from each of Türkiye’s 81 provinces in a ceremonial visit to Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Atatürk, in the capital.
While the 105th year of the parliament’s founding will be marked with a series of elaborate festivities, the celebrations will transcend April 23, unfolding throughout the week.
On April 21, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş welcomed children from 30 nations, who arrived adorned in traditional attire. Following the official reception, Kurtulmuş posed for photographs with the young delegates on the parliament’s ceremonial staircase.
The parliament also hosted a “Children’s Forum,” where students representing all 81 provinces reveled in a medley of events including robotics demonstrations, choral performances, storytelling sessions and traditional theatrical displays.
This year’s overarching theme for the festivities is “artificial intelligence,” symbolically anchoring the celebrations in a dialogue between heritage and innovation.
In a specially convened parliamentary session on April 23, children will preside over the general assembly.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and representatives from various political parties are also slated to deliver commemorative remarks.
For the first time, the Education Ministry has orchestrated the celebration in collaboration with a national children’s committee, selecting young delegates from all provinces. Through a series of virtual consultations, these students have actively contributed to the planning of the events — nurturing not only leadership acumen but also a sense of civic participation from an early age.
