Long Live April 23!

April 23, 1920 is the date on which the First Grand National Assembly, representing the will of the Turkish nation, was inaugurated — and simultaneously the date on which the sovereignty of the Turkish people was proclaimed.

In Atatürk's proclamation dated March 19, 1920, it was announced that an assembly would convene in Ankara for parliamentary elections and the reasons why such a convening was necessary were explained. Two days later, on April 21, 1920, another circular by the Great Leader Atatürk announced the opening date of the assembly and called upon Members of Parliament to come to Ankara. When the date of April 23, 1920 arrived, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey was opened in Ankara. Of the 337 previously designated members of parliament, only 115 were able to attend the first session held that day.



With the Law on Declaring April 23 a National Holiday enacted in 1921, it became Turkey's first officially recognized national holiday. At the time of this first holiday, neither national sovereignty nor children were yet a part of its name or theme. However, with the abolition of the sultanate on November 1, 1922, November 1 was recognized as Hakimiyet-i Milliye Bayramı (National Sovereignty Day). In subsequent years, April 23 — the opening date of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey — was celebrated as "National Sovereignty Day," but this led to November 1 National Sovereignty Day falling into obscurity.

The Great Leader Atatürk decided on April 23, 1924 that the day would be celebrated as a holiday. Exactly 5 years later, on April 23, 1929, Atatürk gifted this holiday to children, and April 23 began to be celebrated as Children's Day for the first time in 1929.



In 1935, the law regarding holidays and days off was amended, and the name "April 23 National Holiday" was changed to "National Sovereignty Day," thereby merging November 1 National Sovereignty Day with April 23 National Holiday.



In 1979, this national holiday was taken to an international level for the first time with the participation of six countries, and since then, children from an average of more than forty countries join each year as guests of Turkish children.

Turkey is the first and only country in the world to gift a holiday to its children and share that holiday with the entire world.

"Young ladies, young gentlemen! You are each a rose, a star, and a light of prosperity for the future. It is you who will truly flood this country with light. Work with an awareness of how important and valuable you are. We expect great things from you." Mustafa Kemal ATATÜRK