NATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS
FESTIVALS IN TURKEY
REPUBLIC DAY
 CHILDREN’S DAY
 YOUTH AND SPORTS FESTIVAL
 VICTORY DAY
 RAMADAN FEAST
 SACRIFICE FEAST
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23 April National Sovereignty and
Children's Day in Turkey
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Solemn ceremonies and
children’s festivals take
place throughout Turkey
on National Sovereignty
and Children’s Day, held
on April 23 each year.
Children take seats in the
Turkish Parliament and
symbolically govern the
country for one day.
What do people do?
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Many people in Turkey commemorate the first gathering of the
Grand National Assembly (the Turkish Parliament), which took place
on April 23, 1920, by attending local ceremonies or laying wreaths
at monuments of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish
Republic. The biggest ceremony takes place at the Ataturk
Mausoleum in Ankara.
Because Ataturk reportedly dedicated the Turkish Republic to
children, Turkish schoolchildren take seats in the Parliament for the
day and symbolically govern the country. They elect a president
who then addresses the country on national television. Children’s
festivals take place throughout the country. The state-run Turkish
Radio and Television Corporation (TRT) brings children, aged eight
to 14, from different countries around the world to Turkey. These
children stay with Turkish families for a week and participate in
children’s festivals, which culminate is a gala-performance on April
23.
Public life

National Sovereignty and Children’s Day is
an official holiday in Turkey. Government
offices, schools and most businesses are
closed on this day. Public transport routes
may vary in the event of street
performances.
Symbols
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The most common symbols of National
Sovereignty and Children’s Day are:
A globe or a circle, symbolizing the world.
A group of children holding hands, symbolizing
unity.
The Turkish flag, symbolizing Turkish statehood.
These symbols are commonly seen on National
Sovereignty and Children’s Day in Turkey.
Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and
Sports Day in Turkey

The Commemoration of
Atatürk, Youth and
Sports Day in Turkey
features state
ceremonies and sports
events throughout the
country on May 19 each
year. Young Turkish
athletes carry the
Turkish flag from a Black
Sea port to the country’s
capital to commemorate
Turkey’s War of
Independence (1919–
1923).
What do people do?
In the run-up to the May 19 celebrations, young Turkish athletes carry the
national flag from Samsun, a Black Sea port from where Mustafa Kemal
Atatürk started Turkey’s War of Independence in 1919, to Ankara, the
country’s capital. The marathon usually takes about 10 days. The Turkish
president accepts the flag at a ceremony on May 19.
 Various sports events take place on May 19 throughout Turkey. Many
people celebrate this day by watching athletes perform at their local
stadiums or by participating in sports events that are open to the public,
such as half-marathons. University students usually prepare special
programs for their teachers and parents on this day.
 Many Turks also observe May 19 as Atatürk’s birthday. Although the exact
date of his birth is not known, Atatürk used to say he was born on May 19
(referring to his political career). Many people lay wreaths to Atatürk’s
monuments and hang Turkish flags outside their windows.

Public life

The Turkish flag, images of Atatürk and
the boat on which he arrived in Samsun,
as well as images related to sports are the
symbols of the Commemoration of
Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day in Turkey.
Ramadan Feast Eve in Turkey

Many people in
Turkey renew their
wardrobes and
prepare traditional
Ramadan desserts
on the Ramadan
Feast Eve. It is also
an occasion to
remember and
honor the dead.
What do people do?
Many people spend the Ramadan Feast Eve
preparing traditional desserts, such as baklava,
to give to neighbors and friends during the
Ramadan Feast. Some Turkish people shop for
new clothes on this day, which they then wear
during the holiday.
 The Ramadan Feast Eve is also an occasion to
honor the dead in many Turkish households.
People may cook a special meal, pişi, which
consists of large pieces of fried dough, and
distribute it to neighbors and the poor in
remembrance of their deceased relatives. It is
also common to visit the cemetery on this day.

Symbols
he symbols of the Ramadan Feast Eve are
the same as the symbols of the Ramadan
Feast, also known in Turkey as Şeker
Bayramı, the Sugar Feast. They include:
 A new moon.
 Traditional desserts or sweets.
 A cup of Turkish coffee.
 These symbols can be seen on the
Ramadan Feast Eve in Turkey.

Ramadan Feast in Turkey
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The Ramadan Feast
in Turkey is a time
for visiting relatives
and paying one’s
respect to older
people. Many Turks
give away sweets
and desserts during
the festival, and
children may watch
free Turkish shadow
plays.
What do people do?
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Many people wake up early on the first
day of the Ramadan Feast. They put on
their best clothes, called bayramlık, which
they often buy specifically for the
occasion, and have a large breakfast. This
symbolizes the end of the fasting period,
which many Muslims observe during the
preceding month of Ramadan.
Symbols
The symbols of the Ramadan Feast
include:
 A new moon.
 Sweets or traditional desserts.
 A cup of Turkish tea or coffee.
 These symbols can be seen in artwork
related to the Ramadan Feast in Turkey.
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Victory Day in Turkey
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Military parades and
ceremonies at monuments
to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk,
who founded the Turkish
Republic, are some
common ways to celebrate
Victory Day in Turkey.
Turkish flags often adorn
shops, public offices and
people's houses on this day.
What do people do?
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Many people in Turkey celebrate Victory Day by
attending military parades, which take place in many big
cities throughout the country. Air forces celebrate the
day with demonstration flights. The jets involved in such
flights usually leave a red-and-white trail, symbolizing
the Turkish flag.
Residents and shop owners decorate their windows with
Turkish flags and images of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
State officials attend a ceremony at Atatürk's Mausoleum
in Ankara. All promotions in the Turkish Armed Forces
take place on this day, and military schools hold annual
graduation ceremonies on August 30.
Symbols
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The Turkish flag and images of Mustafa
Kemal Atatürk are the symbols of Victory
Day in Turkey.
Sacrifice Feast Eve in Turkey
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Many people in Turkey
do their shopping and
prepare meals for the
four-day Sacrifice
Feast during the
Sacrifice Feast Eve.
Some people may
sacrifice an animal in
remembrance of their
dead relatives on this
day.
What do people do?
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Many people buy new clothes and prepare some meals
during the Sacrifice Feast Eve in Turkey. Many people
also tidy their houses and make preparations for guests
who may wish to stay overnight during the four-day
Sacrifice Feast that follows the Sacrifice Feast Eve. The
head of each household may choose a sacrificial animal
(usually a goat, sheep or cow) for the Sacrifice Feast on
the eve of the festival. People who wish to visit relatives
in other cities may travel on this day.
Some families sacrifice an animal on the Sacrifice Feast
Eve to remember their dead relatives. They give the
meat of that animal to the poor or distribute it among
the neighbors. Families may not eat the meat of an
animal they sacrificed on this day. Visiting the cemetery
is also common during the Sacrifice Feast Eve.
Symbols
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The most common symbols of the
Sacrifice Feast Eve in Turkey are a ram (or
a sheep) and a mosque.
Sacrifice Feast in Turkey
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The Sacrifice Feast in
Turkey is a four-day
religious festival. The
Sacrifice Feast traditions
in Turkey include
sacrificing an animal in a
special ritual, visiting
relatives and helping the
poor.
What do people do?
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The Sacrifice Feast is one of the oldest Islamic
holidays in Turkey. It commemorates the story
about Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) who showed
obedience to God by agreeing to sacrifice his
son. God then sent him a ram to be sacrificed
instead. The Sacrifice Feast comes about 70
days after the Ramadan Feast. According to old
belief it is unlucky to get married or start a new
business in the period between these two
holidays.
Symbols

The common symbols of the Sacrifice
Feast in Turkey are a ram (or a sheep)
and a mosque
Republic Day in Turkey
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Many people in Turkey
celebrate Republic Day
on October 29 by
attending performances
and participating in
traditional processions
with flags and musical
bands. The Turkish
Republic’s founder
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
proclaimed Republic Day
as Turkey’s most
important holiday.
What do people do?
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Many people go to local stadiums on October 29 to
watch performances dedicated to Republic Day in
Turkey. Such performances usually consist of theater
sketches, poetry readings and traditional Turkish dances.
Many school children participate in school performances
for parents and teachers. Parades may take place in
some cities and politicians may give public speeches on
this day. Many people also lay wreaths to Atatürk’s
monuments or visit Atatürk’s mausoleum in the country’s
capital, Ankara.
In the evening of October 29 many cities have traditional
processions with flags and musical bands to
commemorate Republic Day in Turkey. The processions
usually end with fireworks, which begin after dark.
Symbols
The common symbols of Republic Day in
Turkey are:
 The Turkish flag.
 Pictures of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
 These symbols can be seen on Republic
Day in Turkey.
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