Festivals-Turkey

TURKEY CELEBRATES THESE NATIONAL DAYS, ANNIVERSARIES AND FESTIVALS

1st JANUARY, New Year New year …

New dreams, new hopes, new beginnings … The end of a year means the beginning of a new year.

MARCH THE 18th CANAKKALE (THE DARDANELLES) VICTORY

     Çanakkale Battles were one of the greatest wars of our century. The enemy states, who wanted to end the First World War, wanted to cross the Dardanelles and conquer Istanbul with their ships. The Çanakkale Victory was a turning point in world history and the Turkish nation played a decisive role on the course of history. It is a struggle for prestige and perseverance that prepares the ground for winning the War of Independence by laying the seeds of the consciousness of being a nation. Battles of Çanakkale constitute the most important and sensitive part of the First World War. The Gallipoli War brought out the fact that Mustafa Kemal carried our army to victory, but our nation sacrified 500 thousand soldiers in this war. For the homeland, giving their lives with pleasure; Our saint martyrs, who changed the destiny of a nation, owing to our homeland, independence, unshakable faith, unique courage, have written a unique epic in the world.

APRIL THE 23rd NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND CHILDREN’S DAY

      The 23rd April 1920 is the date when the First Grand National Assembly, which represents the will of the Turkish Nation, was opened and declared the Sovereignty of the Turkish People. Atatürk gave this special day as a holiday to children. 23 April National Sovereignty and Children’s Day is the first and only children’s holiday celebrated internationally under the name of “TRT International 23rd April Children’s Festival since 1979 with the organization of TRT.

MAY THE 19th COMMEMORATION OF ATATÜRK YOUTH AND SPORTS DAY

      The occupation of the Ottoman Empire by the Allies in the aftermath of World War I prompted the establishment of the Turkish national movement under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal. This led to the Turkish War of Independence, which resulted in the establishment of the Republic of Turkey. Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s landing to Samsun on the 19th of May, 1919 was a turning point for the Turkish Nation and the beginning of the War of Independence. In order to start the National Struggle, he stepped on the Anatolian lands in Samsun. Later, he gifted this day to the Turkish youth because of the importance of the Independence War.

THE 30th OF AUGUST, VICTORY DAY

      Victory Day is an official, national holiday celebrated on the 30th of August each year to commemorate the Great Offensive, which ended on the 30th of August, 1922 at the command of Mustafa Kemal in Dumlupınar against the Greek Troops. It is a victory against the Greek army that invaded our country and progressed to near Ankara.

OCTOBER THE 29th, REPUBLIC DAY

      Grand National Assembly of Turkey declared Republican Administration on October the 29th, 1923. To commemorate this day we celebrate it as a national holiday every year on October the 29th.

10th NOVEMBER COMMEMORATION DAY OF MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK

     On November 10th, the Turkish commemorate the death anniversary of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. Although Atatürk Remembrance Day is not a public holiday, it is marked throughout the country with a moment of silence. The surname Atatürk was granted to him in 1934, it means “Father of Turks”. Atatürk was the leader of the Turkish National Movement in the Turkish War of Independence. He established the Republic of Turkey in 1923 and became its first president. Atatürk’s extensive reforms helped convert Turkey into a modern and secular nation-state.

24th NOVEMBER TEACHERS’ DAY

     On the 24th of November 1928, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, accepted being the “National Schools Chief Teacher” . In 1981, on the 100th anniversary of Atatürk’s birth, it was decided to be celebrated as a nationwide Teachers’ Day.

                      RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS

EID AL-FITR ( RAMADAN FEAST)

      During Ramadan, Muslims fast to purify themselves and get closer to God. Ramadan is like a retreat; a time to step aside all our worldly worries and focus on spirituality and improve our connections with the One who gave us life and all the blessings that we have. After going through a lengthy spiritual retreat for a maximum of 30 days, it is only logical that a feast is held to mark the end of the month. This is what Eid Al-Fitr is all about.

Eid al-Adha (SACRIFICE FEAST)

      It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command. But, before Abraham could sacrifice his son, God provided a lamb to sacrifice instead. In commemoration of this intervention, an animal is sacrificed ritually and divided into three parts. For every Muslim, Eid is a time of sharing and expressing love, peace and friendship. After the sacrifice, Muslims share meat with the needy, who might not eat meat often, and their relatives, fulfilling God’s vision of brotherly relations. They also visit each other to tighten their friendships and to heal old wounds. This joy that comes with the victim increases the peace and happiness of the society.