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The Ministry of Family and Social Services is expanding its “Family Year” activities to reach citizens in more parts of the country through the Culture Road Festivals.
The initiative follows President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family,” underscoring the government’s goal of strengthening family bonds, protecting family values and raising nationwide awareness of the importance of the family institution.
In cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the events are being organized in festival venues to bring cultural, social and educational programs directly to families. So far, eight provinces have hosted a wide range of activities that introduced citizens to Türkiye’s historical and cultural heritage, alongside the ministry’s social service models.
Families visiting the festival areas were able to learn about foster family programs and receive information on services designed for people with disabilities, the elderly, women and children.
Discussions on “Family and the Internet” as well as digital detox camps also drew attention, aiming to raise awareness about the safe and conscious use of digital platforms.
The festivals are also designed to encourage families to spend more time together through interactive and cultural experiences. Traditional arts workshops, such as marbling, ceramics, pottery and woodwork, have been combined with children’s activity areas, open-air cinema screenings, book reading sessions, museum and cultural tours and various sports activities.
Performances by Janissary bands have added a historical and cultural dimension to the programs, making them more engaging for different age groups.
Looking ahead, the ministry plans to extend these events to 12 more provinces during the second half of 2025. The activities will continue in Erzurum, in eastern Türkiye, in August before moving to Çanakkale in the northwest, Kayseri in central Türkiye and Gaziantep in the south.
In late September, both Ankara and Konya will host programs, followed by Istanbul, Malatya, Diyarbakır and Mardin in the autumn. Towards the end of the year, the events will reach Izmir in western Türkiye and Antalya in the south.
By integrating cultural heritage with family-centered activities, the “Family Year” events are expected to create lasting awareness of the role of families in society while also contributing to the socio-cultural development of participants.
The Ministry of Family and Social Services emphasized that these initiatives will continue throughout 2025, ensuring that the message of protecting and empowering families resonates nationwide.
