Kamil Pasha

April 23 is National Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Turkey. Every municipality puts on displays to celebrate nationalism and children. There was a news report that a town in the Antalya region opened the festivities with a child reciting the call to prayer, then the children prayed together. When the girls began their coordinated dance, however, the mayor shut the festivities down because he thought their clothing too revealing (they revealed some stomach).

Here are some scenes from this year:

Istanbul, Ali Sami Yen Stadium, where about 4000 students attended.

Children in Rize doing a folk dance.

Handicapped children applauded in Ankara’s 19 May Stadium.

Bursa, Ataturk Stadium. The children came out with Ataturk masks on.

Photos are from Radikal

Tags: Culture, Education, Nationalism //