Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı

Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı is celebrated every year on 23 April, the date when the Grand National Assembly of Turkey opened in Ankara in 1920 during the War of Independence. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk later dedicated the day to children, so the holiday combines national sovereignty with a strong focus on childhood. In Ankara, official ceremonies center on the Turkish Grand National Assembly and on Anıtkabir, Atatürk’s mausoleum. Public buildings, schools, and many apartment balconies are covered with Turkish flags and portraits of Atatürk. People commonly say “23 Nisan kutlu olsun,” and television news shows state ceremonies alongside school programs from cities across the country.

For most families, the day is experienced through schools and municipal events rather than through a fixed religious ritual or a special holiday meal. In the morning, children gather for flag ceremonies, sing the national anthem, recite poems, and perform folk dances, marches, and the well-known children’s song “Bugün 23 Nisan.” Many pupils wear neat school clothes, while others appear in regional costumes for stage performances. A distinctive custom is symbolic office-holding: children visit ministries, municipalities, governorships, or TV studios and briefly sit in the chairs of presidents, mayors, governors, or presenters, giving short messages about peace and the future. Cities also host children’s festivals, concerts, and visiting international groups.

The pack has 36 words spread across these domains.