By: Nyima Sillah
The Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Centre in Kololi hosted its first cultural event on Wednesday, commemorating April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children’s Day.
The day is said to be a significant national holiday in Türkiye dedicated to children, and first time commemorated in The Gambia.
Turkish Ambassador to the Gambia, F. Türker Oba, in his statement, said, “Today is the 23rd of April, and this is Children’s Day in Türkiye. We have been celebrating this day for a very long time to honor the important role children play in our society. Children are the leaders of tomorrow.
It is a nice gathering to spend time with them to play, to sing, and to share joy. We have some lovely surprises for them today, and we are thankful for their attendance,” said Ambassador Oba.
He expressed gratitude to the Maarif School, the SOS Children’s Village, and all those who attended the event.
“This marks our first official cultural event here, aside from our Turkish language lectures, and we hope it is the first for many,” he noted.
Coordinator of the Yunus Emre Institute, Halil Ibrahim Efe, said the event held deep significance as it marked the centre’s first major cultural activity in The Gambia.
Since March, our cultural centre has been offering Turkish language courses. Today, we are proud to host our first cultural event on the occasion of April 23rd National Sovereignty and Children’s Day. April 23rd is a national holiday in Türkiye, gifted by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to children. It symbolizes hope, unity, and the future,” Efe stated.
According to him, Türkiye is the first country in the world to dedicate a national holiday to children, reflecting the value it places on nurturing a peaceful and democratic society through the younger generation.
He disclosed that nearly 40 children from the SOS Children’s Village in Bakoteh were invited with specially prepared, personalized invitations. “We wanted to celebrate April 23 not only as a day for children but also to create a lasting memory for them,” he said.
He further stated that the event is filled with music games, painting, and dancing all aimed at making the children feel seen and appreciated.
“One of the most heartwarming discoveries during preparations was learning that children in Türkiye and The Gambia grow up playing many of the same games, hopscotch, jump rope, tug of war, and freeze dance. When the children discovered this, they were surprised and happy. For them, Türkiye now feels much closer,” he pointed out.
He added, “Celebrating this day with Gambian children who are without parental care means a lot to us. We care about them deeply, and I believe they will remember this day and remember Türkiye. It’s Children’s Day, and a child’s smile is valuable all over the world. We want not only our children to smile, but to make Gambian children smile too.”
