BAKU ( WNAM MONITORING): Today – November 17 is celebrated as National Revival Day in Azerbaijan. The history of this holiday is linked to the national liberation movement that began in Baku in November–December 1988.
At that time, due to the anti-Azerbaijani policies of the Soviet leadership regarding the Karabakh issue, an anti-Soviet popular movement began in Azerbaijan. On November 17, 1988, on the main square of Baku – Azadliq Square (then Lenin Square) – the Azerbaijani people began holding prolonged rallies. Millions gathered on the square to protest against Moscow”s anti-Azerbaijani policies. In early December, the Soviet internal troops dispersed the rallies, but Moscow could not withstand the national liberation movement of the Azerbaijani people.
On November 17, 1990, the first session of the Supreme Council of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in its new composition was held. The words “Soviet” and “Socialist” were removed from the name of the Autonomous Republic. Removing the words “Soviet” and “Socialist” from Nakhchivan”s name at a time when the empire had not yet ended was a significant historical step toward achieving our independence.
With this, national leader Heydar Aliyev made the first major step toward the revival of our national statehood. At the historic session chaired by the great leader Heydar Aliyev, the issue of the state symbols of the Autonomous Republic was also discussed. After discussion by the people”s deputies, a proposal was made to adopt the tricolor flag as the state symbol.
The session that decided to restore the tricolor flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic submitted a petition to the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan to adopt it as the state flag. This marked the beginning of the historic path from national revival to national progress.
National Revival Day in Azerbaijan was declared on November 17, 1992.
