The Türkiye Youth Foundation (TÜGVA) is bringing hundreds of thousands of children and young people together through its Summer School, Square Festivals and Mobile Summer School programs, which are being held simultaneously across Istanbul's 39 districts throughout the summer.
The foundation said nearly 200,000 students have enrolled in its Summer School program, while more than 500,000 children have participated in its public square festivals during the summer break.
The initiatives aimed at providing children and young people with opportunities to learn, play sports and take part in social activities during the holidays.
TÜGVA's Summer School programs, organized at schools across Istanbul, continue with the participation of nearly 200,000 registered students.
As part of the program, students take part in sports activities, cultural events, educational workshops and team games. The activities aim to help children make productive use of their summer vacation while also fostering friendship, solidarity and teamwork.
The Square Festivals, held at various locations across Istanbul, have attracted significant interest from children and their families.
The day-long events feature traditional sports, inflatable playgrounds, stage performances, competitions, science and art workshops, team games and various refreshments.
The free events have attracted more than 500,000 children, making them one of the city's largest outdoor children's activity programs this summer, according to TÜGVA.
TÜGVA's Mobile Summer School program visits Quran courses operated under Türkiye's Presidency of Religious Affairs.
Teams visit mosques across Istanbul's 39 districts, organizing sports games, educational activities, team exercises and social events. Children participating in the program also receive various gifts and refreshments.
Through the Mobile Summer School, mosques become not only places of education during the summer but also spaces where children can play, make friends, socialize and enjoy their time.
Beytullah Çiçen, TÜGVA's Istanbul Provincial Representative, said the initiatives are about much more than simply organizing events; they are intended to encourage children to spend their summer holidays engaging with friends rather than in front of screens.
"We want our children to spend their summer vacation not in front of screens, but by playing with their friends, doing sports, learning and creating new memories together,” Çiçen said, “The happiness of our children and the satisfaction of their families are our greatest motivation.”
In addition to its summer initiatives, TÜGVA said it organizes educational, cultural, artistic, sporting and volunteer programs for middle school, high school and university students throughout the year across Istanbul's 39 districts. The foundation said its activities reach hundreds of thousands of children and young people annually.
