Apple honors Turkish Children's Day by sharing portraits made with iPad

Today is National Sovereignty and Children's Day in Turkey, an event created — in part, at least — to emphasize to the children of the world that they are successors of the future. It's meant to nurture bright young minds and encourage them to showcase their intelligence and talents, as well as put a spotlight on children's issues. Apple, which has long dedicated itself (in its way) to supporting and inspiring kids, is joining in on the festivities by sharing self-portraits created by Turkish children using the new 9.7-inch iPad and Apple Pencil.

Over the past week, Apple has been sharing a series of videos on its Turkish YouTube channel entitled "Benim Portrem," or "My Portrait." Each clip shows a time-lapse process of the self-portrait being created, accompanied by a voiceover of the child's explanation of the portrait and what each part means to them. 12-year-old Defne A. described how she and her dog both love flowers, 10-year-old Ece S. placed herself in the beauty of nature, and 12-year-old Sude D. drew his silhouette and then added all the "things in [his] head." Apple CEO Tim Cook even shared the work of 13-year-old Özgün Asya on Twitter, whose portrait features a beautiful background of cherry blossoms, her favorite flower.

This isn't the first time Apple has spotlighted its products by celebrating National Sovereignty and Children's Day. Last year, the company put billboards up in Turkey showcasing work shot by young photographers using the then-new iPhone 7, as well as sharing short video clips taken by children to the aforementioned Turkish YouTube channel.

Thoughts?

Which super cool self-portrait is your favorite? Have you drawn anything using the new 9.7-inch iPad yet? Share in the comments!

Tory Foulk

Tory Foulk is a writer at Mobile Nations. She lives at the intersection of technology and sorcery and enjoys radio, bees, and houses in small towns. When she isn't working on articles, you'll likely find her listening to her favorite podcasts in a carefully curated blanket nest. You can follow her on Twitter at @tsfoulk.