CHILDREN'S DAY

This national day (23 April National Sovereignty and Children's Day) in Turkey is a unique event. The founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, dedicated April 23 to the children of the country to emphasize that they are the future of the new nation. It was on April 23, 1920, during the War of Independence, that the Grand National Assembly met in Ankara and laid down the foundations of a new, independent, secular, and modern republic from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. Following the defeat of the Allied invasion forces on September 9, 1922 and the signing of the Treaty of Lausanne on July 24, 1923, Ataturk started his task of establishing the institutions of the new state. Over the next eight years, Ataturk and his followers adopted sweeping reforms to create a modern Turkey, divorced from her Ottoman past. In unprecedented moves, he dedicated the sovereignty day to the children and entrusted in the hands of the youth the protection of this sovereignty and independence.

Every year, the children in Turkey celebrate this "Sovereignty and Children's Day" as a national holiday. Schools participate in week-long ceremonies marked by performances in all fields in large stadiums watched by the entire nation. Among the activities on this day, the children send their representatives to replace state officials and high ranking bureaucrats in their offices. The President, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Ministers, provincial governors all turn over their positions to children's representatives. These children, in turn, sign executive orders relating to educational and environmental policies. On this day, the children also replace the parliamentarians in the Grand National Assembly and hold a special session to discuss matters concerning children's issues.

Over the last two decades, the Turkish officials have been working hard to internationalize this important day. Their efforts resulted in large number of world states' sending groups of children to Turkey to participate in the above stated festivities. During their stay in Turkey, the foreign children are housed in Turkish homes and find an important opportunity to interact with the Turkish kids and learn about each other's countries and cultures. The foreign children groups also participate in the special session of the Grand National Assembly. This results in a truly international Assembly where children pledge their commitment to international peace and brotherhood.


The importance of April 23 as a special day of children has been recognized by the international community. UNICEF decided to recognize this important day as the International Children's Day.

FIRST MAN ON THE MOON

When you walk on sand, you leave footprints. But then the wind comes and covers your footprints. But as you know there is no wind on the Moon and no rain. So the footprints of the first people on the moon are still there today.

Do you know the first men on the moon? Their names are Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. They climbed out of their spaceship and stood on the Moon on 20th July 1969.

They looked around and saw no living things. The ground was dark grey and dusty, and the sky was black. They could see the earth in the sky. The earth as blue and white.

Then they started to walk on the moon. They were in heavy spacesuits but they could walk and jump easily. They could move six metres with each step. It was easy because everything on the Moon is lighter than on the Earth. Things are lighter because there is less gravity. This is because the Moon is smaller than the Earth.

Armstrong and Aldrin spent only three hours on the Moon, but their footprints will probably stay there for hundreds of years.