Asaf Atasoy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Asfa Holding, included the following statements in his message;

We are honored and delighted to celebrate the 106th anniversary of the opening of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and the 23rd April National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, a gift from Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to the children.

April 23, 1920, the date on which the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, one of the most fundamental institutions of our state, was opened with the understanding that “Sovereignty belongs unconditionally to the nation,” is the date when our beloved nation, with all its children from young to old, rose again and declared its independence to the whole world through its selfless struggle for its nation, state, flag, call to prayer, and independence.

The opening of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey is a crucial turning point that paved the way for the liberation of the Turkish nation, which was in the midst of a fiery ordeal, and for the declaration of its republic. It is a moment when the people asserted their sovereignty, new hopes blossomed, and new horizons opened for our country. Gazi Mustafa Kemal, who entrusted the republic he founded to our youth, the guarantors of the future, also gifted April 23rd as a holiday to the children he loved so much.

Atatürk’s decision to dedicate this day as a holiday to children is the most important indicator of the value and trust he placed in them. It is also one of our most important duties to raise our children, who are the guarantee of a strong and happy future, as knowledgeable, productive, hardworking, and successful individuals who are wholeheartedly devoted to their country, nation, and national and spiritual values.

On this occasion, I commemorate with respect and gratitude the founder of our Republic, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and his comrades-in-arms, as well as all the heroes of our War of Independence, our martyrs, and our veterans who sacrificed their lives for the survival of our homeland and nation.

“I congratulate all our children on April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, and with the hope that this holiday will bring happiness to the children of our country and the world, I wish them a future as pure and innocent as their hearts, filled with love, kindness, and success.”

Abdullah Yiğit – Istanbul

Last Update: April 21, 2026