Following is the message President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued on the occasion of April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children’s Day:
“I celebrate with my sincerest feelings the 99th anniversary of the foundation of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey as well as the National Sovereignty and Children’s Day of all the children in Turkey and across the world.
While the foundations were being laid for our national sovereignty, our august nation, with its members of all ages, put up an unwavering struggle in unity and solidarity on the path to victory and the foundation of our Republic.
The establishment of our Parliament acted as the symbol of love for the homeland and the flag, as the embodiment of unity, solidary and fraternity, and as the guarantee of freedom in the eyes of our nation, which fought for its independence and future and shaped its fate with the principle that ‘sovereignty unconditionally belongs to the nation’.
For our nation, which puts the national will above any other power, April 23rd, 1920 symbolizes the proclamation of our march on the path to total independence and that no power, no administration, or no tutelage shall ever be recognized above or outside the national will.
Our august nation, which made history with the War of Independence, adopted as a principle the swift development and progress in every area in the aftermath of the establishment of the Republic; and Turkey has now become one of the respected and exemplary countries in the world.
We, with the strength we draw from our nation, continue working in order to ensure that our children, the assurance of our future, live in a Turkey which is richer, more powerful, more prosperous and more stable.
The April 23rd Children’s Day, which we celebrate hand in hand with all the children of the world, is the epitome of the value our nation attaches to children.
As the nation, we regard children as the most precious wealth in the world and highly treasure them. Our greatest desire is to be able to usher in a much brighter future for our children and youth.
On this occasion, I, on my nation’s behalf, offer my gratitude to all the members of the Parliament who have served our country under the roof of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey since its inception.
I remember Ghazi Mustafa Kemal, who was the Chief Commander of our Independence War, the first Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, and the founder of our Republic, as well as all our martyrs and veterans with respect and gratitude.
I, with all my heart, congratulate all our children and all the children of the world on this unique festival.”