Roswell City Hall Marks Turkish Children's Day with TACA Georgia

TACA Georgia Board and Turkish-American families from Roswell, and most importantly, the children who are the very heart of this celebration.

Roswell, GA – April 23, 2025 – Roswell City Hall welcomed the Turkish American Cultural Association of Georgia (TACA Georgia) today to celebrate April 23rd – National Sovereignty and Children’s Day. This unique Turkish holiday, established by modern Turkiye's founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1920, marks the nation's first assembly and is globally recognized as the first national holiday dedicated entirely to children.

Atatürk emphasized children's role as active citizens. This is reflected in Turkish celebrations featuring festivities and children symbolically assuming government posts. That spirit was honored in Roswell with a special proclamation from Mayor Kurt Wilson. In a nod to the tradition, a young Turkish-American girl symbolically took the Mayor’s seat, representing peace and democracy.

TACA Georgia April 23 Committee Head Buket Bozdağ (left), Board Member Eser Aydın, Mayor Pro Tem and Council member Lee Hills and TACA Georgia President Gökhan Yavuz.

TACA Georgia extended sincere gratitude to:

Mayor Kurt Wilson, for the official proclamation and his genuine welcome.
Mayor Pro Tem and Council member Lee Hills (Post 6), for generously hosting our group and guiding us through City Hall.
Katrina Singletary, Government & Community Affairs Manager, for her invaluable help in coordinating this meaningful visit.

The TACA Georgia leadership, including President Gökhan Yavuz, Vice President Ali Gürlek, Secretary General Geysu Menteş, April 23 Committee Head Buket Bozdağ, Board Member Eser Aydın, and Head of the Advisory Board Mazlum Koşma, attended alongside local Turkish-American families and their children. Long-time Roswell residents Tolbert and Nancy Yılmaz were also thanked for their crucial support.

Council-member Lee Hills stands with TACA Georgia leaders and children during the April 23rd commemoration at Roswell City Hall.

More Than Just a Holiday

The spirit of April 23rd extends far beyond Turkiye's borders, resonating globally as a heartfelt call for peace and unity. It's a day whose very essence aligns with the highest ideals of organizations like UNESCO and UNICEF – fostering vibrant cultural exchanges that build understanding and passionately championing the fundamental rights that every child deserves. Today's wonderful event right here in Roswell became a living tapestry of these ideals. It beautifully wove together cherished traditions and brought different generations side-by-side, creating a poignant reminder of how vital it is to celebrate, listen to, and uplift our children, both within our close-knit Roswell community and across the wider world they will inherit.

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