Türkiye celebrates Mother's Day, coinciding with the highly anticipated presidential and parliamentary elections, on Sunday.
Various organizations and municipalities have arranged activities on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings to honor mothers and motherhood.
Prominent figures such as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Parliamentary speaker Mustafa Şentop and First Lady Emine Erdoğan have extended their messages on this occasion, emphasizing the significance of mothers in society.
President Erdoğan on Twitter said: “I congratulate the Mother’s Day of all our mothers who are the epitome of unrequited love, compassion and mercy, especially the mothers of martyrs. I wish God’s mercy on all our mothers who passed away.”
Meanwhile, Emine Erdoğan in her social media post also noted mothers are a lantern shedding light on hearts, the ones who protect with their prayers, enlighten with their conscience, and whose compassion is enough for the world.
Commemorating her mother, the mothers of martyrs, and all mothers who yearn for children, Erdoğan said: “I wish patience to all the children whose hearts ache when they say “mother.” I wish the Mothers of Diyarbakır to be the last Mother’s Day they spend apart from their children, and I offer my most heartfelt gratitude to the earth angels who choose to be a foster family and hold a child’s hand. With the hope of a world where every child is fulfilled with mothers’ love, happy Mother’s Day.”
A particular activity ahead of Mother’s Day, which comes during “World’s Disabled Week,” observed between May 10-16, was held in northwestern Düzce province for the mothers of disabled children and children with autism.
Members of the Women’s Labor Center (DÜKEM) gathered in front of their association building on Friday to commemorate the occasion of Mother's Day by releasing blue balloons into the air.
This gesture had a special meaning. It highlighted the importance of mothers with children with disabilities. Nermin Alayıldız, the board chairperson of DÜKEM, speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), emphasized that motherhood is a profoundly sacred experience for women.
In commemoration of Mother’s Day, several municipalities in Türkiye, such as the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality and Tatvan Municipality in Bitlis province, organized special activities.
Mersin Metropolitan Municipality hosted a ceramic decorations workshop at the ‘Event and Art Center,’ held for the first time, providing a creative outlet for participants to express their artistic talents.
On the other hand, Tatvan Municipality celebrated the occasion by distributing coronations to women, symbolizing their importance and honoring their roles as mothers.
This year’s Mother’s Day in Türkiye, similar to last month’s Eid, is commemorated in the somber atmosphere in the country’s earthquake zone struck by early February’s disaster that leveled cities and left at least 50,000 dead.
Sorrowful mother Sevim Kılınç, who lost her 24-year-old daughter Durdu Deniz Kılınç Öksüz and a 5-year-old grandson to the earthquake, visited her daughter’s grave in southern Adana province, Ihlas News Agency (IHA) reported Sunday.
“She was only 24 years old, and none of her dreams came true. She didn’t come to me, I came to her today,” Kılınç lamented.
In many countries, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year.
