Turkey: Children's Day marked at presidential complex

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a children's gala at the presidential complex on Monday.

Speaking at broadcaster TRT's Gala, Erdogan said children from 40 countries were hosted in northwestern Bursa province for two days.

“Share the beauty [of Turkey] with your families and friends. We hope to see you here next year too,” Erdogan said, addressing the children.

The event was hosted by South Korean child actress Kim Seol and Turkish actor Ismail Hacioglu who starred in the movie Ayla.

Children also performed a folk dance at the event.

Turkey on Monday celebrated National Sovereignty and Children’s Day as well as the 98th anniversary of the foundation of parliament.

The April 23 celebrations focus on children after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic, dedicated the day to children as the nation’s future.

The Grand National Assembly or parliament met for the first time in 1920 in Ankara, the country’s future capital, during the War of Independence to lay the foundation for an independent, secular and modern republic.

Reporting by Ilkay Guder; Writing by Sena Guler