April 23 Special Program: Flowers of Hope
Prepared by the Kenan Center for Turkish Cultural Studies for National Sovereignty and Children’s Day, this upcoming event brings audiences together for a festive musical gathering centered on Umut Çiçekleri, the album of the İTÜ TMDK Prof. Dr. Selahattin İçli Children’s Choir. Hosted by Dr. Zehra Tülin Değirmenci and Dr. Arzu Eylül Yalçınkaya, the program offers a meaningful reflection on children’s voices, musical education, cultural memory, and the enduring spirit of April 23 through the unifying language of music.
Scheduled for 23 April 2026 at 20:00 Istanbul / 1 PM Boston, the session welcomes Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yeşim Altınel Çoban as guests. Through selected musical examples, memories, and interpretive discussion, the event explores how children’s songs carry joy, refinement, and shared cultural meaning, while also revealing how early musical experience can become a lasting and formative part of cultural life.
Event Focus
This upcoming special program explores the musical, pedagogical, and cultural significance of children’s voices through the album Umut Çiçekleri, while honoring the civic memory and festive spirit of April 23.

