TURKEY

Holidays The lunar calendar determines the Muslim holidays, which vary each year. The main Muslim festival is the three-day feast called eker  Bayrami ( 'Feast of the Sugar') at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. A typical dessert of the period is the rahat Lokoum-colored pieces of gelatin and coated with powdered sugar-known in the West as 'Turkish Delight'. In the four-day Muslim holiday called Kurban Bayrami ( 'feast of sacrifice') is honored the obedience of Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, by command of Allah is the time of the pilgrimage to Mecca. On this day, generally, are often sacrifice a lamb as a symbol that Abraham obeyed Allah by sacrificing a lamb instead of his son as a sign of fidelity. The secular parties in Turkey are governed by the Gregorian calendar (West). Other holidays include New Year (January 1), the National Sovereignty Day (April 23, who is also Children's Day), Day of Commemoration of Atatürk and Youth Day (May 19) The Victory Day (August 30) and Republic Day (October 29). On the eve of Republic Day is also a public holiday in some areas. Most people take their holidays in August. The National Sovereignty Day commemorates the opening of the Grand National Assembly on 23 April 1923. In honor of Children's Day, 400 students have the opportunity to fill seats in national parliament in the capital for a day. The Atatürk Commemoration and Youth Day commemorates the origin of the national movement for independence in 1919, led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. In the Victory Day military parades are made, plays the oldest military band in the world, the Mehtar-and culminates with fireworks. The Republic Day marks the anniversary of the founding of the republic in 1923.