APRIL 23 INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN īS DAY

ANKARA (A.A) - 20.04.2009 - The Turkish parliament speaker received children around the world on Monday.

Turkey īs Parliament Speaker Koksal Toptan had a meeting with children from 59 countries in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

Children are actually visiting Turkey for the April 23 National Sovereignty and Children īs Day.

"I hope that the friendship you will establish here will help build the future of the world on friendship, love and peace," Toptan said during the meeting.

The 89th National Sovereignty and Children īs Day will be celebrated throughout Turkey on April 23.

Children will return to their countries on April 24-26.

April 23 is the only children īs festival in the world.

It was on April 23, 1920, during the War of Independence, that the Grand National Assembly was inaugurated in Ankara and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk laid down the foundations of a new, independent, secular, and modern Republic of Turkey. He also dedicated this day to the children of the country to emphasize that they are the future of the new nation and since then, 23 April National Sovereignty and Children īs Day is celebrated in Turkey as a National Day. The importance of April 23 as a special day of children has also been recognized internationally and United Nations Children īs Fund (UNICEF) endorsed this important day as the International Children īs Day.

Every year on this date, children from all around the world come together in Turkey to enjoy Children īs Day celebration and festivities in a hope that these memories of friendly atmosphere will contribute to a future of enhanced brotherhood and peace among nations. (BRC-CE)(the news was taken from habertürk from the net)

INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN īS DAY Originated in TURKEY, Recognized by UNICEF, as a gift to the children of the WORLD!