National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Türkiye)

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Türkiye) Aka 23 Nisan, National Sovereignty and Children’s Day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) is an annual national public holiday in Türkiye. The day commemorates the 1920 opening of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey at Ankara when the Turkish parliament met to establish the new republic. It was declared a national holiday in 1921 and later became Children’s Day in 1927, recognising children as the future of the nation.

Since 1979, UNICEF has recognised this day as an international event, where Türkiye hosts children from many different countries. Türkiye is the first country to celebrate an official Children’s Day.

Türkiye officially changed its name from Turkey in 2022.