This year we witnessed a different way to celebrate April 23. There were two reasons for this. It was 100 years of the opening of Turkia’s Grand National Assembly which is the representative for Turkish legislature. This milestone coincided with the global epidemic that affected the whole world. So, how did the Turkish Nation react?

First of all, let's find out what happened exactly 100 years ago.

 

The reason for the adoption of 23 April as a national holiday in Turkia was due to the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Turkia in 1920. The determination of the deputies and their arrival to Ankara took place. The parliamentary elections started with Atatürk's declaration dated March 19, 1920, which explained that a parliament would convene in Ankara and why it should be convened, and again with Atatürk's circular on April 21, the date of the parliament was announced and the deputies were asked to come to Ankara. On April 23,1920, the Turkia Grand National Assembly was opened in Ankara. Only 115 of the previously determined 337 deputies were able to attend the first meeting of that day (Source: https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_Nisan_Ulusal_Egemenlik_ve_Çocuk_Bayram).

 

Well, let's now talk about how April 23 was declared an official holiday which was after April 23,1920, when the First Grand National Assembly, was opened and which represents the will of the Turkish nation: 

 

This holiday was celebrated in the first year of the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, and with the abolition of the sultanate on November 1, 1922, it was first accepted as November 1, and then combined with the National Day of April 23 in 1935 and the Protection of the National Day. It was formed by the spontaneous unification of April 23 Children's Day, which was declared by the Etfal Society in 1927 and was first organized under the auspices of Atatürk. During the 1980 coup, the National Security Council officially named this holiday "April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day" (Source: https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_Nisan_Ulusal_Egemenlik_ve_Çocuk_Bayram).

 

Let us now tell the story of April 23 and its identification with children:

 

The role of the Child Protection Agency

 

The biggest reason in celebrating this day as the children's holiday is due to the Himaye-i Etfal Society, better known as the Child Protection Agency.

 

Mehmet Fuat Bey, the founder of the association and who served as the general secretary for many years, made a proposal to the Parliament in early 1922. On April 23, he requested the use of stamps belonging to the Himaye-i Etfal Society. Thus, with the stamps issued on April 23, 1923, revenue was obtained from the feast celebrations. That income was also spent on the orphans of our martyrs.

 

The following year, the opportunity to provide income to needy children was found, this time with the sale of badges. The newspaper Hakimiyet-i Milliye announced the event as follows: "Today is the badge festival for the children." Calling the public to make lots of donations, the newspaper made history in 1926 as the "Turkish Children’s Day".

 

1927 was a turning point. The Himaye-i Etfal Society took the decision with the board of directors to accept April 23 Children's Day as the Children's Easter.

 

Then in 1929, "Children's Week" was declared. In Turkia, it was Children’s week in between the dates of April 23 to 30. Of course, the feast would be celebrated on April 23, but there would be festivities for children throughout the week. In 1933, there was now a children's president, albeit even for a day!

 

When they got to 1935, April 23 was officially designated by law as the “National Sovereignty Day" and the unofficial "April 23 Children's Day" was celebrated jointly in ceremonies and activities (Source: https://www.trthaber.com/haber/turkiye/23-nisan-ne- Celebrating-as-a-holiday-since-time-23-April-gifts-to-children-478655.html)

 

As a result, National Sovereignty and Children's Day, is one of the official days of celebration for the Republic of Turkia and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Besides Turkia and the KKTC, it is also celebrated as “April 23 Kosove Turks National Day” by the Republic of Kosovo. The founder of the Republic of Turkia and the first president, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk gifted this day to the children of the world.

 

In addition, the tradition of accepting children to the office, which started with Atatürk in 1933, continues today as children replacing civil servants at the head of governments institutions for a short time (Source: https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_Nisan_Egemenlik_ve_Çocuk_Bayram).

 

The epidemic made the celebration even more meaningful

 

This year, regardless of all economic and social problems, the enthusiasm of the Republic of Turkia which was established exactly 100 years ago along with the April 23, 1920 festivities was not overthrown by the pandemic. Everyone celebrated with greater enthusiasm. This time, people celebrated not by going out to the town squares, but from the windows, balconies, terraces or gardens of their homes.

 

Of course, it was clear from the previous week that such an outburst of emotions would happen. On many different social media platforms, people started the early celebrations, shared different videos, and everyone was inviting each other to this celebration at exactly 9pm on April 23, 2020. My favourite among these invitation videos was the video of my dear friend Serkan Koç's sweet daughter Mercan and son Göknar. I even shared this video on my social media channels with the following title and text:

 

An April 23 message from Princess Mercan and Goknar, the Lord of the Cheeks!

Happy April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day!

TBMM was established exactly a hundred years ago. How lucky we are to see these days.

As my dear friend Serkan Koç's sweet children Mercan and Göknar sid, "Every balcony is a town square."

Here is the video that I have watched with great pleasure:

 

 

Then, when the clock struck exactly 9pm on April 23, 2020, many magnificent images appeared. Here are some of those images:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KTFRhUZ_bQ

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7thck0

https://www.msn.com/tr-tr/video/hava/balkonlarda-23-nisan-coşkusu/vi-BB1364bQ

 

We will come out stronger!

 

So, what have I done? I turned off the TV while watching the last episode of the TV series “Casa de Papel” at home. I opened the garden door. I came face to face with the hedgehogs and cats eating the food I placed in the garden for them. I didn’t go out far into the garden just so I don’t disturb them. My neighbour next door was yelling and singing with his family with great enthusiasm. I listened to them with a smile and thought:

 

In the country’s second century of being the Republic of Turkia, displaying a positive impact on the world, will be a major contribution to humanity and all living things will become strong and develop a dynamic structure. We will continue on our way by always putting it on the path created for us by the Great Leader, Atatürk.

 

I believe we will come out of this global epidemic much stronger. There should be no doubt.

 

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