100th ANNIVERSARY OF AZERBAIJAN
A GLORIOUS CHAPTER IN HISTORY The wise policies pursued under the strategic direction of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev helped to turn Azerbaijan into a country that is today economically dynamic and open, culturally diverse and politically stable
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s a token of respect and gratitude to the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), President Aliyev has officially declared this year as the Year of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic with celebrations set to take place across Azerbaijan and beyond to highlight the historic significance of this milestone event. A hundred years ago, on 28th May, amid the tumults of the First World War, the people of Azerbaijan took the historic step to establish themselves as a democratic nation, the first Muslim nation to do so in East. Following the declaration of independence on 28th May 1918, a new independent, democratic and sovereign nation was born which opened a new, glorious chapter in the history of the Azerbaijani nation. The founders of the republic immedi-
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AZERBAIJAN 2018
ately embarked on making wide ranging decisions that affected almost every aspect of political, economic and social life. Their
THE YEAR OF THE AZERBAIJAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC WILL BE MARKED WITH CELEBRATIONS SET TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS AZERBAIJAN AND BEYOND TO HIGHLIGHT THE HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS MILESTONE EVENT
achievements include the creation of state institutions such as national parliament and a fully functioning government, issuance of national currency, adoption of Azerbaijani as the official language, creation of the first university - Baku State University, and establishing friendly and balanced diplomatic relations with both neighbouring and European states based on mutual benefits within a very short time span. These measures helped lay a strong foundation for an independent statehood which the modern Republic of Azerbaijan has proudly inherited. Although it existed for 23 months between May 1918 and April 1920, its ideals and measures have had a lasting effect on the future generations. The ideals of sovereignty, independence and democracy were passed down from generation to generation during the Soviet period.
