Upcoming 97th Anniversary of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan

28 May was the day in 1918, when the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was proclaimed for the first time. It is one of the brightest pages in the history of Azerbaijani people, which commemorated the country unification. On May 28 Azerbaijan celebrates the Republic Day. Azerbaijan People’s Republic – the first republic in the Muslim world – was proclaimed on this day 95 years ago. The Republic Day is an official state holiday and day off.  Independence of Azerbaijan and other Caucasian republics has become possible after the end of the World War I and owing to political situation that weakened Russian empire. But Russian empire has caused serious confrontation between nations of the region to prevent their uniting. This holiday in Azerbaijan is also called Azerbaijan national identity restoration day, because for a long time, Azerbaijan was first under rule of Iran, then that of the Russian Empire. It was not until 1918 after the revolution in Russia and long-lasting national liberation struggle of the Azerbaijani people, when the National Council of Azerbaijan, headed by Mamed Emin Rasulzade proclaimed a state sovereignty. The Declaration of Independence signed on 28 May 1918 in the building of former Palace of the Governor in the Caucasus in Tiflis. Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence after collapse of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic on May 26, 1918 caused by confrontations between Georgian, Armenian and Azerbaijani factions in the Transcaucasian parliament. On May 26 Georgian Deputies dropped out of the Federation and proclaimed independence of Georgia and on May 27 members of the Muslim faction of the Transcaucasian parliament decided to proclaim independence of Azerbaijan and announced themselves the Interim National Council of Azerbaijan. At that session Mamed Emin Rasulzada was elected chairman of the National Council of Azerbaijan. The Independence Declaration was adopted on May 28, 1918. The Declaration announced creation of the democratic parliament republic in Azerbaijan and it said that all nations living in Azerbaijan have sovereign rights and Azerbaijan is an independence state. The National Council operated in Tbilisi for 18 days and then moved to Ganja. That time Baku was controlled by the Baku commune led by Stepan Shaumian. In September 1918 the Azerbaijan People’s Republic’s government moved to Baku after liberation of Baku from the Menshevik government “Dictatorship of Central Caspian” by the Caucasian Turkish Islamic army. Azerbaijan People’s Republic guaranteed rights and freedoms of all citizens, irrespective of their nationality and religion. For the first time in the Muslim world women had electoral rights and the Republic was recognized at the Versailles World Conference. During 23 months Azerbaijan People’s Republic’s government adopted several laws, implemented political, military, legal and economic reforms and created the first university. Even after Azerbaijan’s occupation by the bolshevist Russia, Azerbaijan’s statehood was preserved. The first Azerbaijan Democratic republic collapsed on April 28, 1920 as a result of invasion of the Red Army. Azerbaijan gained independence after the USSR collapse in 1991 and announced itself a successor of Azerbaijan People’s Republic.

On this day in Azerbaijan, people decorate the cities with the national flag, hoping that it will always wave freely in a free and democratic Azerbaijan. The colorful flag is blue for Turkic, red for modernism and progressiveness, and green for Islam. On the streets Azeris enjoy the day as they remember the past and look forward to building Azerbaijan from generations that lived all their lives under the Communist Soviet Union, adapting to a democratic capitalist republic where they can enjoy their own choices in life. In the capital city of Baku, all the official celebrations of Republic Day are held, as the president and government officials raise the national flag at the Presidential Palace of the Republic of Azerbaijan in front of a Guard of Honor.

In Pakistan on occasion of the 97^th Anniversary of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan H.E. the Ambassador of Azerbaijan Dashgin Shikarov will host a reception in a five star hotel of Islamabad. Pakistan Azerbaijan Media Forum will also celebrate 97^th Anniversary of the Republic Day of Azerbaijan in Baidari e Fiker Forum Islamabad on 23^rd May Saturday at 7 pm.

The Author is President Pakistan Azerbaijan Media Forum

Written by: Raja Javed Ali Bhatti