It implies coming to terms with a country’s past, ultimately putting on trial those who plotted against the people by means of coups and other forms of tutelage. And it does indeed require shedding the cocoon of heralding pseudo-democratic mass celebrations as “achievement,” forcing under-age participants to perform rituals resembling military type drills in front of dignitaries.
Some of our readers may recall that I had written about this subject before, yet there is a brand-new development to be noted that I am very happy to comment about.
What is at stake? The Turkish Ministry for Education recently announced that from 2012 onwards large-scale football stadium-type public celebrations involving school children in order to mark Youth and Sports Day (annually held on May 19) will no longer be accepted and that schools should celebrate this important day within their own grounds instead.
And rightly so! May 19 does not ask for schoolchildren who are simply too young to give consent to dance and parade in front of dignitaries -- and to make matters worse, mostly in sports arenas. It is fair to say that it is quite often the parents who “consent” to their youngsters being used in such a manner. Please do not tell me that a 7 or 10-year-old child already fully understands the concept of politics, national days or has managed to read thousands of pages in international history books!
Actually, those few voices who at once criticized the Education Ministry for its move (do not get me wrong, this is part of democracy, too) would better wait until May 20 of this year as what Ankara is now stipulating for all of Turkey’s 81 provinces could very well lead to a rediscovery of the true spirit of this day, and hence to a much better reflection of its on-going relevance.
If the various age groups assembled in a primary, secondary or vocational school are introduced to the meaning behind celebrating this or that historic event and work closely with their teachers, our children will be able to learn something. The youngest ones may be asked to draw a map of some of the children at home in all the four corners of the world with all their different hair and skin colors to appreciate that youth is a global concept, and a one world concept, too. Early secondary school students could learn about why racism is wrong and needs be tackled on all levels of all societies. Near graduates could go deeper into Turkey and the region’s history and elaborate together with their teachers about how Turkey’s energetic young generation was and will remain the driving force behind economic success and full democratization. Parents could come and join after class for a music recital and dance party, why not?
Having watched a number of past May 19 celebrations in Turkey (often on a rather chilly May mid-morning, please consider our children’s health, too) I never got rid of the feeling that it was the audience applauding and congratulating themselves for being here on the day not unlike opera goers shouting “encore” time and again aiming at showing off their own good taste, yet caring much less about the diva on stage. Similarly, I never really felt that stadium seated spectators on May 19 actually applaud their very own children for a good show or music routine. They come there to celebrate a historic event and simply use a country’s young generation as a means of being able to do that.
The danger with the by now passé public shows in football stadiums always was that a child told to do something without being fully convinced about the “why” will eventually try to totally neglect the relevance of the activity. Think forcing your child to not only learn playing an instrument but to “perform” every Sunday in front of the extended family. In nine out of 10 cases the child will sooner rather than later drop classes and stop playing that particular instrument altogether.
May 19 is important indeed. It now has the chance to be put into the correct context of being a day when Turkey’s young generation celebrates itself, not them being forced upon audiences.
