Cultural Calendar of Turkey "Bu proje T.C. Avrupa Birliği Bakanlığı, AB Eğitim ve Gençlik Programları Merkezi Başkanlığınca (Türkiye Ulusal Ajansı, http://www.ua.gov.tr) yürütülen Gençlik Programı kapsamında ve Avrupa Komisyonu'ndan sağlanan hibeyle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Ancak burada yer alan görüşlerden Türkiye Ulusal Ajansı veya Avrupa Komisyonu sorumlu tutulamaz." Project No. 2012-1-ES1-COM6-524346 This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission can not be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
JANUARY 1st JANUARY NEW YEAR After the modernisation of Turkey, the Islamic calendar and the fiscal calendar were replaced by the Gregorian calendar and New Year celebrations started in the late 1920s. The celebrations became popular in Turkey and Christmas trees were brought into the country as New Year trees. Since then, the custom of setting up a tree for the New Year is a traditional event in Turkey. It is usually put up between the beginning of December and the end of January. Also, the habit of giving presents at Christmas was changed to the giving of New Year presents.
In Turkey, there is no religious or national feasts or holidays in February. FEBRUARY
18th MARCH COMMEMORATION DAY OF ÇANAKKALE MARTYRS For the Turks, 18 March, national day of remembrance of Çanakkale Martyrs, is not a public holiday, but it is commemorated with special ceremonies in the whole country. MARCH
APRIL 23rd APRIL NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY AND CHILDREN S DAY 23rd April National Sovereignty and Children s day (Ulusal Egemenlik ve Çocuk Bayramı) is an annual Turkish national holiday celebrated on April 23 to commemorate the opening of the Grand National Assembly.
MAY 19th MAY COMMEMORATION OF ATATURK, YOUTH AND SPORT DAY 19 May the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day (Atatürk'ü Anma, Gençlik ve spor Bayramı), is an annual Turkish national holiday celebrated on May 19 to commemorate Mustafa Kemal's landing at Samsun on May 19, 1919, which is regarded as the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence in the official historiography.
In Turkey, there is no religious or national feasts or holidays in June. JUNE
JULY 28th JULY RAMADAN FEAST /SUGAR FEAST Ramadan Feast is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. It is a public holiday, where schools and government offices are generally closed for the entire three-day period of the celebrations. Dates for religious holidays changes every year with a shift margin of approximately 11 days. 1435 (Islamic Calendar) : 28-29-30 july 2014
AUGUST 30th AUGUST VICTORY DAY Victory Day (local name: Zafer Bayramı) on August 30 is a national holiday in Turkey to commemorate the victory in the Battle of Dumlupınar, the one of the final battles and the most decisive one in the Turkish War of Independence in 1922, dedicated to the armed forces.
SEPTEMBER In Turkey, there is no religious or national feasts or holidays in September.
OCTOBER 04th OCTOBER SACRIFICE FEAST Kurban Bayram (Turkish: Kurban Bayramı), is the second of two religious holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide each year. 29th OCTOBER REPUBLIC DAY The Republic Day of Turkey is one of the national holidays in Turkey and Northern Cyprus, commemorating the proclamation of the republic in 1923. It lasts 35 hours, starting at 1:00 pm on October 28. On 29 October 1923, Mustafa Kemal declared that Turkey would be a republic and renamed it as the Republic of Turkey. * Dates for religious holidays changes every year with a shift margin of approximately 11 days. 1435 (Islamic Calendar) : 04-05-06-07 October 2014
NOVEMBER On November 10th, 1938, the first president of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, at the age of 57, died in Dolmabahçe Palace. Every year, a minute of silence is done at 9:05 in the whole country. We show our respect and gratitude to him. At schools, poems about Atatürk are recited and songs he loved are sung in memoriam of him.
31st DECEMBER NEW YEAR S NIGHT DECEMBER