'Is Christmas and Halloween contrary to the national and cultural values of Turkish nation?'

People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Mardin deputy George Aslan brought the letter sent by the Ministry of National Education (MEB) in December 2023 regarding social activities in private educational institutions to the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM).

Aslan, in the parliamentary question he requested to be answered by Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin, stated that religious and cultural holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Halloween, celebrated by different ethnic and religious groups living in Turkey, have been banned from being celebrated in schools with the related letter. He asked the following questions:

• Are the Christmas and Easter holidays celebrated by Christian citizens in Turkey contrary to the "national, moral, human, spiritual, and cultural values" of the Turkish nation?
• Does the term "Turkish nation" in the expression "Contrary to the national, moral, human, spiritual, and cultural values ​​of the Turkish nation" in the regulation include Christians, Alevis, Jews, and Yazidis living in Turkey? If so, why are these holidays banned?
• Do the restrictive practices introduced by the new regulation encompass minority schools belonging to the Greek, Armenian, Assyrian, and Jewish communities?
• Will the changes in the discriminatory regulation targeting different peoples and beliefs be repealed?
• Do you have any efforts to prevent discriminatory and hate speech against values belonging to different ethnicities and faiths by your ministry and affiliated institutions?

In the letter sent by the Ministry of National Education (MEB) to provincial national education directorates, it was instructed that social activities in private educational institutions should be organized in accordance with the customs, traditions, and practices of our country, and activities and speeches should introduce national culture to students; and that activities that are not in harmony with our national culture and values should not be included in institutions.

Prior to this, the Ministry of National Education (MEB) had made changes to the regulation on private schools, adding the expression "Activities and celebrations that are contrary to the national, moral, human, spiritual, and cultural values of the Turkish nation and do not contribute to students' psychosocial development will not be held" in these institutions. (TY/PE)