Children from around the world joined their Turkish peers in Istanbul for "Peace Bread Festival" where they made breads from flour they brought in from their countries.

Fifty children from Georgia, Croatia, Colombia, Ukraine, Mongolia, Somalia, the Palestinian territories, Uzbekistan and other countries attended the festival. Sliced bread was then posted to world leaders from U.S. President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin in yesterday's event in Istanbul's Esenler district. A joint project of Esenler Municipality and Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Turkey's main development aid agency, the festival merges the peace concept with bread, which is both a cultural symbol and an image associated with the hunger caused by wars.

Speaking at the event, Esenler Mayor Mehmet Tevfik Göksu said they started the first edition of the festival nine years ago, "again at a time of bloodshed and tears around the world." "We brought together three important figures in life: children, bread and peace.

Children are most valuable for us and peace is something necessary for a dignified life. Bread is a sacred symbol," he said. Bread slices are accompanied by letters urging the world leaders to stop the wars and occupations that leave children orphans.