In children’s book discussions, the topic is the values of the Republic.

At the ‘Book Conversations for Children’ event organized by Nilüfer Municipality, trainer and author Çiğdem Sezer explained the values of the Republic to elementary school students through her book ‘A Century-Old Plane Tree’.

Çiğdem Sezer participated in the ‘Book Conversations for Children’ organized by the Nilüfer Municipality Library Directorate to encourage children to read books. In the discussion held as part of the events for the Republic Day on October 29, Sezer focused on her book ‘A Century-Old Plane Tree’ to share the importance and values of the Republic with children.

The discussions, organized in two sessions at Uğur Mumcu Stage and Eşref Ergin Primary School, included nearly 400 third and fourth-grade students from a total of 6 schools. In the first session, Sezer met with students from Ali Karasu Primary School, Ahmet Uyar Primary School, Canaydın Primary School, Demirci Primary School, and Görükle Hazinedaroğlu Özkan Primary School. In the second session, she came together with children at Eşref Ergin Primary School as part of the ‘Mobile Library’ activities.

Sezer advised children to ‘do what makes you happy’, and explained her goal of writing the book as follows:
“Like every Turkish citizen, I owe it to the Republic. I have taught, raised children, and now I am raising my grandchildren. I wanted to pay my debt to the Republic by doing what I know best, which is writing. Therefore, I wrote this book to tell the story of the Republic to children through poetry.”

Sezer, who explained the Republic to students with a unique perspective, said, “The Republic is for children to freely sing songs and go to school, for women to take the stage, and for kites to fly instead of planes in the sky. We owe these freedoms to the Republic founded by Atatürk and his comrades.” The author likened the Republic to a sturdy plane tree, describing children as the leaves of this tree.

At the end of the event, Çiğdem Sezer signed her book ‘A Century-Old Plane Tree’ and answered the children’s questions.