The Turks in Bulgaria have lived there since the end of the 14th century, after the Ottoman Empire began to establish its existence on the Rumelian lands. Then in the 16th century, social changes in Anatolia led large groups of ethnic Turks to settle in Bulgaria and elsewhere in the Balkans. According to Ottoman state policy, many people from Anatolia were settled into Bulgaria and the Balkans as well. Today, Turks of Bulgaria live compactly in two rural areas in the Northeast (Ludogorie/Deliorman) and the Southeast (the Eastern Rhodopes). Besides the ethnic Turks who are Muslims there are other Muslims in Bulgaria. Historical evidence shows that most of the Muslims in Bulgaria originated from outside the Balkans, while the rest were converts from the indigenous population.

The total number of Muslims in the country stood at 966,978, corresponding to 12.2% of the population.According to the criterion of ethnic group they were divided into the following groups: Turks - 713,000; Bulgarians - 131,000; Roma - 103,000; Others - 20,000;

April 23 is "National Independence and Children's Day". On this date in 1920 the Turkish Grand National Assembly was established in Ankara by Mustafa Kemal. As this was the written record of the transition from a religious community to a nation, this date was accepted as a national holiday. From 1929 onward it was declared as the first Children's Day in the World by Kemal Ataturk, as he acknowledged the importance of children for the futures of nations.

The Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day, or simply Atatürk Commemoration (Atatürk'ü Anma) or Youth and Sports Day is an annual Turkish national holiday celebrated on May 19 to memorialize the start of the Turkish War of Independence. May 19, 1919 is the day Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, then Mustafa Kemal, who would become independent Turkey's first president, landed on the main peninsula of Turkey to begin leadership of the liberation effort. During the course of his term as president, Atatürk himself proclaimed May 19 as "Youth and Sports Day."

August 30 is " Victory Day ". On this date in 1922, the fifth day of the big attack against the Greeks, the Dumlupinar Battle under the command of Mustafa Kemal was won and determined the result of the Independence War. This big attack ended in Izmir with the defeat of the Greeks on September 9.

October 29 is "Republic Day". The Republic of Turkey was proclaimed by the Turkish Grand National Assembly in In that happy day,Turkey got the big chance of having its freedom by the help of the world's biggest leader, Ataturk. We, Turkish people, wouldn't be able to celebrate this important day without the help of our leader. We got our freedom by having many people killed in bloody wars so we will do our best for our beautiful TURKEY.

There are two religious holidays or feasts, the first is Seker Bayrami (3 days) which comes immediately after 30 days of fasting in the Ramadan and the second is Kurban Bayrami (4 days) which follows 70 days after Seker Bayrami. In Turkish, Bayram is "feast" or "holiday", seker is "sweets" and kurban is a "sacrifice".

On the first day of the feast, very early in the morning, people get up, wash themselves, wear fragrance or cologne and put on their new clothes. The majority of the male population go to mosques for the early morning prayer which is extremely important. School aged children are also taken to mosques by their fathers or older relatives in order to make them acquire the habit of going to prayers. So many people go to mosques that they do not fit inside or even in the courtyard. When this is the case, they take small carpets from home to mosques, put them in the streets near the mosque and join in with the service. The Imams give sermons as this is an opportunity to preach to so many people together. The dominant subject these days is peace, and they always try to encourage brotherhood and general goodwill among all. After prayers in the mosque everybody gives feast greeting to each other by shaking hands. The next stage is at home where feast greetings continue. In the traditional extended families these greetings do not take too much time as all members are at the same place. But in nuclear families it might take a much longer time. Couples with their children visit their parents or grandparents, give gifts, kiss their hands, and they eat candies or chocolates. Children are pleased as they are given some pocket money in addition to candies On the first day of the feast, very early in the morning, people get up, wash themselves, wear fragrance or cologne and put on their new clothes. The majority of the male population go to mosques for the early morning prayer which is extremely important. School aged children are also taken to mosques by their fathers or older relatives in order to make them acquire the habit of going to prayers. So many people go to mosques that they do not fit inside or even in the courtyard. When this is the case, they take small carpets from home to mosques, put them in the streets near the mosque and join in with the service. The Imams give sermons as this is an opportunity to preach to so many people together. The dominant subject these days is peace, and they always try to encourage brotherhood and general goodwill among all. After prayers in the mosque everybody gives feast greeting to each other by shaking hands. The next stage is at home where feast greetings continue. In the traditional extended families these greetings do not take too much time as all members are at the same place. But in nuclear families it might take a much longer time. Couples with their children visit their parents or grandparents, give gifts, kiss their hands, and they eat candies or chocolates. Children are pleased as they are given some pocket money in addition to candies.

Kurban Bayrami is the same as Seker Bayrami except the additional sacrifice as the name of the feast bears.The sacrificial animal, a ram, a goat or any of the cattle will be made ready to sacrifice and from the first morning onward, at anytime, will be sacrificed by one of the members of the family or somebody who represents him. The meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into three parts; one for the poor, one for the neighbors and relatives and the last is for the family. The sacrificing is generally done in courtyards of houses or if these do not exist then it is conducted in specially arranged public places. People can also make a donation to the same value of a sacrifice to a charity instead of doing it themselves.

The End ElisSibel Denica