Millions in Turkey celebrate National Sovereignty and Children's Day by singing national anthem from home amid coronavirus

Amid nationwide measures to curb spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sang national anthem along with dozens of children during a television broadcast to celebrate the National Sovereignty and Children's Day

Turkey on Thursday celebrated the nation's April 23 National Sovereignty and Children's Day and the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish parliament.

People at 9 p.m. took up their places at the windows and balconies of their homes to sing the national anthem, the Istiklal Marşı (March of Freedom), while waving the Turkish flag.

A Turkish Airlines plane flew over the country Thursday making the shape of the country's flag with its flight path to mark centennial celebrations for the founding of parliament.

The celebrations for Turkey's National Sovereignty and Children's Day were changed because of the coronavirus pandemic, with authorities replacing parades and school ceremonies with observances in line with social distancing efforts.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 showed a crescent and a star over Turkey outlined by a Boeing 777. Turkish television stations showed children with flags on their neighborhood streets. Officials wearing masks visited the mausoleum of Turkey's founder and held a special session in parliament.

Every year 23 April is celebrated with solemn ceremonies nationwide with children performing in the country's stadiums and streets, but this year home was the focus of celebrations due to the threat from gatherings under coronavirus.

Sound and light shows were also done in city centers along with firework displays.

Turkey every year commemorates the first gathering of the Turkish Grand National Assembly which took place in 1920 by attending ceremonies and visiting Anıtkabir, the mausoleum in the capital Ankara of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's, the nation's founder.

In past years, the national sovereignty day was marked with parades, celebrations and schoolchildren acting out ministerial roles with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, called for an election amid the war of independence after the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I. On April 23, 1920, the Grand National Assembly held its first session.