Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been touched with an emotional appeal by a nine-year-old Azerbaijani girl, who attended an event for children in Turkey.

"I want that you and all of the world leaders protect the world, children and their smiles. The world is nicer with their smiles. Please protect the beauty!" Ayan Asadzade told PM Erdogan as he hosted the children who arrived from different parts of the world in the Turkish capital for the event.

The Turkish prime minister kissed the girl, who was dressed in a traditional Azerbaijani costume, and handed her a keepsake. The girl also presented to the prime minister tiny samples of Azerbaijani national musical instruments.

The moment has been in the spotlight of Turkish newspapers and other media.

Ayan Asadzade is a member of a dance band under Azerbaijan State Musical Theatre and a 4th grade student of Baku Choreographic School.

Within the framework of the festival, Prime Minister Erdogan met with its participants. During the meeting the children were presented with medals in various categories.

The dance band under Azerbaijan State Musical Theatre participated in the 35th International Children's Festival in Turkey.

The date is marked as a children's festival since children were given a special place in the April 23 festivities by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Turkish republic.

The international children's festival has been organized since 1979 to mark the occasion. Hundreds of children from 45 countries are in attendance at the celebrations, which features their countries' traditional dances at parades and a gala event.

The Turkish Radio-Television Corporation (TRT) hosted the 35th edition of its annual "23rd April International Children's Festival" in Izmir, a west-coast city of Turkey.

A festival parade, dance performances, concerts, and a gala show took place as part of the festival. All these events were aired on TRT Çocuk and other TRT channels.

This year, around 700 children from around the globe, aged between 9 and 14, participated in the festival's Gala Show, which broadcasts live in Turkey on Tuesday. The show was also offered for broadcast around the world by TRT.

Since 1979, children from many other countries are invited to Turkey to add a truly global aspect to Turkey's very own Children's Day, created long before the United Nations set up its own version in 1954. Often they stay in the home of a Turkish child and experience family life in another country first-hand, a vital aspect of becoming aware, multicultural citizens.