April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children’s Day is being celebrated in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus with ceremonies and events.
Weeklong celebrations had begun with an opening parade held on April 17th.
As part of the ceremonies, 17 students selected from schools in 6 districts visited state and government officials on Tuesday.
As part of the celebrations, ministerial seats were symbolically handed over to children during a special cabinet meeting.
Under the coordination of 9 Eylül Primary School Principal Elçin Altan, a total of 17 students—5 from Lefkoşa, 3 from Gazimağusa, 3 from Girne, 1 from Güzelyurt, 2 from Lefke, and 3 from İskele—formed the symbolic Cabinet, each representing their respective schools.
All ministers were present in the Cabinet Meeting Room to ceremonially hand over their posts to the students.
The children presented flowers to Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, who in turn offered commemorative gifts to the students.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said they were entrusting the Cabinet to the prime ministers and ministers of the future on this meaningful day.
“One day, we will entrust our tomorrows to you. Happy holiday,” Üstel told the children.Sitting in the prime minister’s seat, Karakol Primary School student Çınar Ege Özzaim chaired the symbolic Cabinet session.
He noted that this year marks the 105th anniversary of 23 April National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, a gift from Atatürk to all children.
Following the session, the children who took their seats in the ministries shared their ideas on various topics, including the economy, healthcare, tourism, agriculture, labour, and education.
Later, a symbolic General Assembly meeting on the theme of “children’s rights” was held at the new Parliament building.
Speaking there, the Speaker of the Republic’s Assembly Ziya Öztürkler highlighted the symbolic importance of holding the first children’s General Assembly at the new parliamentary complex.
He described the Assembly as “the heart of the nation,” and underscored that the building itself would stand as a symbol of the TRNC’s sovereignty and the will of its people.
Öztürkler expressed gratitude to Türkiye for constructing and gifting the complex to the Turkish Cypriot people.
Reflecting on the founding of the Turkish Grand National Assembly in 1920, Öztürkler praised Mustafa Kemal Atatürk for entrusting this day not only to democracy but to children, declaring 23 April both a National Sovereignty Day and a Children’s Day — the only such dedication in the world.
As part of the celebrations, Öztürkler symbolically handed over his role to student Zen Arıkbuka, who opened the special session.
The meeting commenced with the reading of the national student oath.
Students also visited the Minister of National Education Nazım Çavuşoğlu.
Receiving the students, Çavuşoğlu underlined that with the opening of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, sovereignty was unconditionally entrusted to the people.
He noted that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk dedicated 23 April to children—seen as the guarantors of sovereignty and the leaders of tomorrow—by declaring it a Children’s Day.
Çavuşoğlu emphasized that the occasion provides an opportunity to raise awareness about children’s issues and share visions for their future.
Also on Tuesday, 17 students selected from schools across six districts visited President Ersin Tatar at his new office in the recently completed Presidential Complex.
During the visit, President Tatar expressed joy that his first guests in the new building were children. “We are making history here,” he said, telling the students that in the future, they could proudly show this moment to their own children as the first group to mark 23 April at the new Presidential premises.
Tatar praised Mustafa Kemal Atatürk for dedicating 23 April to children as a symbol of their role as the guarantors of the future and said he believes today’s children will contribute to the TRNC’s progress not just through education, but also through cultural, social, and sports activities.
As part of the ongoing celebrations, Minister of National Education Nazım Çavuşoğlu will deliver a speech tomorrow at 8am on Bayrak Radio and Television Corporation, highlighting the meaning and importance of the day.
Due to the occasion, a state ceremony will be held on Wednesday at 9am in front of the Atatürk Monument in Lefkoşa, where a wreath will be laid at the monument.