National Sovereignty and Children's Day

On 23 April 1920 the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye opened in Ankara. Meeting under foreign occupation, it declared that the nation was taking its destiny into its own hands and led the War of Independence. Its founding principle was "Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation".

In 1929 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk dedicated the day to children, the owners of the future. Since 1981 its official name has been National Sovereignty and Children's Day. On this day children symbolically take over seats in parliament, ministries and governors' offices.

Children of the world together

Since 1979 TRT has hosted the International 23 April Children's Festival, in which children from dozens of countries stay with Turkish families and dance and sing together. 23 April is regarded as one of the world's first national holidays dedicated to children.