April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day is celebrated with colorful events, including concerts, theaters, workshops, exhibitions, and talks organized for children in almost every district of Istanbul.
As part of the celebrations, a children's festival is being held by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for the first time in Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM). The Children's Art Festival, which will continue throughout the week, will host different workshops, exhibitions, children's films, theater plays and concerts.
In the April 23 Children's Carnival, organized by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) at the Yenikapı Event Area, singer Nil Karaibrahimgil will give a concert at 10.00 a.m. Saturday.
The "36th Children's Festival" organized by IBB City Theaters also starts Saturday. In addition to all the stages of the City Theaters, children's plays will be performed free of charge on April 23-24 at Kartal Bülent Ecevit Cultural Center and Beylikdüzü Atatürk Cultural Center.
At the festival, activity stations will also be set up in the open area in front of the Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage Saturday and Müze Gazhane Stage on the next day. IBB City Orchestra will also give a concert for children at the festival, where a sports track workshop, bubble show and painting activities will be held for children.
Held for the first time this year, the Fişekhane Kite Festival will allow children to dot the sky in colors on April 23 and 24. Children will be able to make their own kites with workshops organized by award-winning kite artist Zahit Mungan.
"Children's Day and National Sovereignty Concert" will be given at the Cemal Reşit Rey (CRR) Concert Hall. Young pianists Arya Su Gülenç, 13, and Can Saraç, 15, will accompany the CRR Symphony Orchestra, which will be conducted by Murat Cem Orhan.
İş Sanat will hold "Museum Memories Workshop" and "Medal Workshop" for different age groups at the Işbank Museum in Eminönü.
The General Directorate of Forestry (OGM) will simultaneously organize a "Forest and Children's Festival" in Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, Adana, Eskişehir, Şanlıurfa, Muğla, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş and Mersin province.
The festival, which will feature cartoon characters from "Rafadan Tayfa," "Niloya," "Keloğlan" and “Harika Kanatlar” ("Great Wings"), will be colorful with competitions and entertaining shows.
Zorlu Performing Arts Center (PSM) will hold the "Children's Festival" for three days. At the festival, which was held for the third time this year, many important figures, including painter Devrim Erbil, actors Seren Fosforoğlu, Yağmur Tanrısevsin, Fadik Sevin Atasoy, Ragıp Savaş and sculptor Malik Bulut will come together with the children.
Sakıp Sabancı Museum (SSM) Learning Programs will present many activities physical and online activities on April 23 and 24. Shadow play “Karagöz” performance, jazz and dance activity, "Flowers in a Vase" workshop, where cardboard vases will be designed inspired by the colorful flowers in the SSM garden, are among the events SSM will present to little ones.
Galataport Istanbul will also host events that will last all day. Concerts, various activities and a children's puppet theater will meet children around the Tophane Clock Tower.
