UPDATE - Erdogan: April 23 shows democracy, Turkish sovereignty

NEW DECK; UPDATED WITH MORE DETAILS, REMARKS FROM PRESIDENT ERDOGAN

By Havva Kara Aydin

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s president on Thursday celebrated the 100th anniversary of the nation’s parliament as well as National Sovereignty and Children's Day, saying: “April 23 is the most important symbol of democracy and the nation’s sovereignty.”

“When our homeland was occupied, our Grand National Assembly, which opened a century ago in Ankara, became the center of our nation's and the state's struggle for freedom,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video message from his current residence at Huber Mansion in Istanbul.

He also commemorated the founder of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and all the martyrs of the country, saying: “The Republic of Turkey was built on the concepts of unity, solidarity, brotherhood, and solidarity.”

“The late Mehmet Akif Ersoy wrote our national anthem not with his pen, but with the rapture that came out of every part of his heart,” Erdogan added.

Our national anthem not only describes our fight for freedom a century ago, but it also expresses the spirit we need today and, in the future, he said, urging the nation to sing the anthem from the balconies and windows of their houses.

He also marked the day as a sign of the value the Turkish nation places on its children and their trust in the youth.

“As a nation, we see our children as our most valuable assets in the world, just like our independence, and we keep them on hand,” he said.

Touching on the coronavirus pandemic, he said in Turkey the fight against the pandemic has been waged with characteristic “determination, faith and hope”.

"We believe that we will overcome this disaster with the permission and grace of Allah, the discretion and concentration of our esteemed nation,” he added.

- Erdogan hails beginning of holy month of Ramadan

He also celebrated the beginning of Muslims’ holy fasting month of Ramadan, which starts this evening in Turkey.

He wished the best for the Turkish nation, the Islamic world, and all of humanity.

“I welcome the Ramadan-i-Sharif of our nation and the entire Islamic world, as we will perform the first Tarawih prayer tonight and hold its first fast,” he said.

He said he hoped Allah would bless the holy month with health, peace, and well-being.

At the end of his speech he sang the Turkish national anthem with children.

Millions of Muslims will offer their first special evening Ramadan prayer called Tarawih, which will then continue throughout the holy month.

Turkey every year commemorates the first gathering of the Turkish Grand National Assembly which took place in 1920 by attending ceremonies and visiting Anitkabir, the mausoleum in the capital Ankara of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the nation’s founder.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Turkey celebrated National Sovereignty and Children's Day and the 100th anniversary of the foundation of parliament from their homes under curfew in 31 out of Turkey's 81 provinces.

After originating in China last December, COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus, has spread to at least 185 countries and regions across the world. Europe and the U.S. are currently the worst-hit regions.

Turkey on Thursday confirmed 115 more fatalities from the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 2,491.

The total number of registered coronavirus cases surged to 101,790, as 3,116 more people tested positive for the virus, the Health Ministry said on Twitter.

The pandemic has killed over 187,000 people, with total infections exceeding 2.68 million, while over 732,000 have recovered from the disease, according to figures compiled by the US’ Johns Hopkins University.