Istanbul welcomes National Sovereignty and Children's Day, April 23, with a wide range of artistic opportunities offered by institutions like Akbank Sanat, Pera Museum and UNIQ Istanbul. The Music for Peace children's choir will also perform on thefestival day.Workshops at Akbank SanatAkbank Sanat, which brings children together with the magical world of art with entertaining, creative workshops, has prepared a diverse and rich program for children for April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day. Many activities at Akbank Children's Theater and creative workshops are awaiting children at Akbank Sanat.Beethoven and MusicThe first part of the workshop brings together children age 6-9 with Beethoven's famous compositions, as children sing Beethoven's "Turkish Anthem" in Turkish. Then, they will repeat the anthem with the words they add. Second, children who have listened to the composer's "Moonlight Sonata" will figure out what kind of scenery the musician might be facing when composing this piece.April 22I've Made My Own NecklaceIn the workshop "I've Made my own Necklace" organized by Akbank Sanat, 6-14 year-olds paint their own interpretations of world famous paintings and then witness the magical transformation of their work into art-loaded necklaces.April 22, 29'You're the chef with maestro'The new workshop "You're the chef with maestro," prepared by Akbank Sanat for 6-9 year-olds offers fun handcraft activities to strengthen the skills of association, meaning and reinforcement. The workshop kick offs with storytelling, and then children create their own stories with key words. Next, they will bring together materials suitable for the themes and affix constellations related to the story to the front of the cardboard and complement the background with pictures related to the story.Family Mosaic WorkshopPrepare colorful, creative mosaics with the "Millefiori" technique in the "Family Mosaic Workshop" at Akbank Sanat and spend educational fun time with your children. Plenty of kneading, imagination, fun and creativity! Let's see what happens with children and grandparents.Linoleum Print WorkshopPrint is not the job of children! The Linoleum Printing Workshop organized for the 9-14 age group by Akbank Art Contemporary Art Workshop presents the magical world of linoleum print to children. The workshop offers them the opportunity to work in a professional original print painting studio, maybe setting children on a new journey in life that they can carry on for the rest of their lives.April 29Sarkis Water Paint in WaterAkbank Sanat invites you to explore entertainment and talent with Sarkis' easy-to-learn watercolor technique. Children can experiment with watercolors in water under the supervision of an expert trainer.From pictures to photographyAkbank Sanat combines children's imagination with photographs, as children transform their photos into pictures by completing the stories they created and enriching their stories by using them for their creativity.Creative Dance Lessons for ChildrenCreative Dance Lessons for Children, a journey in children's dance and play, continues at Akbank Sanat every Saturday in April. Improving children's abilities and body coordination via dance lessons based on improvisation to kick start creative thinking, lessons are organized in three separate sessions for different age groups.World Tour in 80 DaysAkbank Children's Theater, which has opened the gates of magic of theater to many children, offers "World Tour in 80 days," one of the most famous adventures in world literature every Saturday in April. The play, based on Jules Verne's novel of the same name and first staged in London in 2013, features four actors playing 20 different characters. It will be presented to audiences in a translation by Mehmet Ergen under the direction of Lerzan Pamir.

Music for Peace Orchestra perform together

Young musicians, 150 currently training in Istanbul, Bursa and the Princes Islands, play for peace on April 23 under the baton of El Sistema's Venezuelan conductor Feliz Briceno, a guest trainer at the Peace for Music Foundation, at 5:00 p.m. at the Main Theater of Zorlu Performing Arts Center.

The Peace for Music Foundation provides free musical training to children and youngsters with limited means in Edirnekapı, Istanbul, a disadvantaged area of the city. The foundation was founded by architect Mehmet Selim Baki to make his childhood dreams come true under the name "Music for Peace" in 2011. Children and teenagers aged 7-20 receive international musical training via instruments and trainers for free. Believing that every child has the right to participate in arts and that obstacles in this regard have to be overcome, Baki and his wife, Dr. Yeliz Baki, has introduced music to over 6,000 children so far. They've witnessed the healing, miraculous side of music, and have witnessed how revolving music can be.

Established with the same purpose in Venezuela in 1975, El Sistema's movement is far from the struggle in Edirnekapı, yet the aim is the same: To reach as many children as they can. The Peace for Music Foundation set on the road with the same aim and aside from their works at their headquarters in Edirnekapı.

With a friendship agreement signed in 2014, El Sistema is not an official part of the network, and Peace for Music obtained the title "El Sistema Turkey" and trains students in Istanbul, İzmir, Bursa and the Princes Islands. The foundation now offers free musical training to over 400 teenagers and children between the ages of 7 and 20.

Pera Museum contributes to euphoria

Pera Education celebrates April 23, National Sovereignty and Children's Day with concerts and workshops. The Kadıköy Municipality's Children's Art Center Orchestra and Polyphonic Children's Orchestra performs a special repertoire on April 22 at Pera Cafe for free, while Pera Education organizes a creative drama workshop: "Unlimited Art."

UNIQ Hall invites children to 'Animals Musical'

UNIQ Hall invites children to the "Animals Musical" on April 23, with giant puppets, extraordinary costumes, dance, music and an impressive scenario.

The largest and most exciting production of the season, "Animals Musical," will be staged at UNIQ Hall again for those who missed it on April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day. With a giant staff of 110, the musical reminds children of the feeling of being "us." Do not miss the musical that captures the enchanting effects of all ages with giant animal puppets that can be integrated with the human body, unique handcrafted costumes, 4-voice polyphonic chorus, ethnic and modern choreographies at international standards and an immersive musical to enchant all.

The children of the same lands fought against each other for centuries. It wasn't just generations that disappeared but the breath of Africa. One day the tribal elders get together and decide to become "us." From now on, every individual in the tribe at age seven will be sent to "Ubhuntu" villages to learn the soul. Africa finally has a dreamlike life.

On the other side of the coin, there are tribes that were determined to break the peace. The only thing that matters to them is getting more land. And their target is the Ubhuntu village of Adilah who live together with animals.