World Children's Day and the Republic

According to statistics Antalya has over 300 sunny days per year. With the coming of April, which heralds the summer, events previously held indoors start to be organised in the streets, ancient cities and the countryside. The first harbingers of outdoor activities are children.

The April 23 Children’s Day was gifted to the children of the world by Atatürk. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm in our region as it is in the whole country. Children from all over the world come to Antalya as guests and stay in the homes of their newly made Turkish friends where they can also enjoy traditional Turkish hospitality. Through multicultural shows, the streets are almost transformed into a fairground. The April 23 festivities are indeed a children’s festival that is widely celebrated over an entire week in the streets and open spaces.

The 302nd day of the year is of great importance for the Turkish people. The Republic was proclaimed to the world on October 29, 1923 and this day is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the whole country. Antalya’s city squares turn festive with evening concerts and fireworks displays organised by the municipalities. This special date, when the sultanate finally came to an end and the dawn of democracy appeared on the horizon, has another profound meaning in the Kaş district. The Greek island of Megisti lies across the shore from Kaş and the islands’ inhabitants join their Turkish neighbours on this day. This day where the people from the two shores come together, is celebrated with joy and friendship in the narrow streets of Kaş.