NEW YORK (A.A) - 10.05.2002 - State Minister Hasan Gemici proposed on Friday to celebrate April 23 as ''children's festival'' in the whole world.
Addressing the U.N. Children Session which continues in New York, Gemici said that ''Ataturk who founded the parliament on April 23, 1920 presented this national sovereignty day to children. Turkey proposes the whole world to celebrate this day as Children's Festival in order to share the honour of this day with all children.''
Noting that Turkey took important steps in the last decade to improve children's rights, Gemici said that the death rate of babies decreased by 50 percent and the percentage of children who go to school increased to 98.
''Turkey gives priority to broaden protectionary measures for children, support usage of children's rights, bring education opportunity to disabled children, gradually end child labour, protect children against violence, and to win back the children who violated laws to the society,'' Gemici said.
Giving information about the campaign ''Say Yes For Children'' started in Ankara by the support of U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan's wife Nane Annan, Gemici said that 16 million signatures which show Turkey's resolution to prepare a better world for children were collected.