December 31 - is the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day.
       
Celebrating the last day of December each year as the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day serves to strengthen the ties of our compatriots scattered across different countries with their historical homeland, independent Azerbaijan. It also aims to establish close communication among them and contribute to preserving our national and moral values and traditions.

The foundation of the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day was laid in late December 1989 during the dissolution of borders (between the USSR and Iran) in Nakhchivan. Border posts between Northern and Southern Azerbaijan were dismantled. For the first time in the last two centuries, Azerbaijanis living in present-day Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan met by crossing the Araz River.
         
The World Congress of Azerbaijanis, held for the first time in Istanbul (Turkey) on December 31, 1989, and the First International Congress of Azerbaijani-Turkish public associations, held in 1990 on the initiative of the Turkish World Research Foundation, were the first important political steps taken in the direction of the solidarity of Azerbaijanis. The participants of the event appealed to several international organizations. For the first time during these events, the idea of celebrating December 31 as the Day of Solidarity and National Unity of World Azerbaijanis was proposed.

Against the background of all these events, December 31 went down in the history of Azerbaijan as the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day. 
   
The formalization of this date relates to the name of national leader Heydar Aliyev. On December 16, 1991, at the meeting of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic chaired by Heydar Aliyev, a decision was made to celebrate December 31 as a holiday of solidarity of Azerbaijanis of the world. The Supreme Assembly appealed to the country's parliament - the Supreme Soviet - for the adoption of a legislative act in this regard. On December 25, the National Council of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan, considering the appeal, adopted a law declaring December 31 as the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day. 
 
The official recognition of this date is associated with the name of the national leader Heydar Aliyev. On December 16, 1991, during a session of the Supreme Council of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic under the chairmanship of Heydar Aliyev, a decision was made to celebrate December 31 as the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day. The Supreme Council appealed to the parliament, the Supreme Soviet, to adopt legislative acts regarding this decision. On December 25, the National Council of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan, considering the appeal, adopted a law declaring December 31 as the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day.
 
On November 9-10, 2001, the First Congress of World Azerbaijanis was held in Baku. The congress had a positive impact on strengthening the national self-consciousness of our compatriots, enhancing the effectiveness and activity of Azerbaijani communities in various countries. This marked the emergence of a new movement in the socio-political life of the country and a new direction in state policy. The statement made by the Great Leader during that congress, "I have always been proud, and today I am proud to be Azerbaijani!" became widely echoed and remembered. 
 
The establishment, in accordance with the Decree of the President of Azerbaijan dated 5 July 2002, of the State Committee for Work with the Azerbaijanis Living in Foreign Countries (currently the State Committee on Work with Diaspora), with the aim of expanding and developing relations with our compatriots abroad, the adoption, on 27 December of the same year, of the Law “On a State Policy regarding the Azerbaijanis living abroad” further stepped up the process of organizational development and consolidation of world Azerbaijanis.

Today, our national leader Heydar Aliyev's ideas of national unity, solidarity and Azerbaijanism are successfully continued by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. The efforts undertaken by the head of state in this regard have significantly contributed to strengthening the allegiance of our compatriots living in various countries to the homeland. Additionally, the congresses held to date have played a crucial role in the relations of our compatriots living abroad with Azerbaijan. According to the Decree signed by President Ilham Aliyev on February 8, 2006, the organization of the Second Congress of World Azerbaijanis in Baku on March 16 of that year marked a new stage in the development of diaspora building. The first forum of leaders of Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations held in Baku on March 9, 2007, became a significant event in the life of all Turkic-speaking peoples and went down in history as a bright manifestation of the importance President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev attached to the unity of the Turkic world.

With the decree signed by the head of state on November 19, 2008, the State Committee for Work with the Azerbaijanis Living in Foreign Countries was reorganized into the State Committee on Work with Diaspora. On 19 December of the same year, a meeting of the Coordinating Council of world Azerbaijanis in Baku adopted the Charter of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis. Three years later, on July 5-6, 2011, the Third Congress of World Azerbaijanis was held, followed by the Fourth Congress held on June 3-4, 2016. Representatives of Azerbaijani diaspora organizations operating in different countries, Azerbaijani intellectuals, public and cultural figures living abroad, and entrepreneurs participated in these congresses. The Congresses played a crucial role in countering hostile interventions and contributed to fostering unity and solidarity among Azerbaijanis living in different parts of the world.

On September 27, 2020, in response to the military aggression initiated by Armenia against Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani people rose to the Patriotic War at the call of the Commander-in-Chief, President Ilham Aliyev, rose to defend the homeland in the Patriotic War. The victorious Azerbaijani Army triumphed over the enemy during the intense 44-day period, restoring the territorial integrity of our country. The glorious Victory, eternally engraved in the history of our national statehood and in the memory of our people, was achieved through the unity of the people and the government, the high professionalism of our army, and the intense political-diplomatic activities. 
  
The Fifth Congress of World Azerbaijanis, also known as the Victory Congress, took place in the city of Shusha on April 22, 2022. During this congress, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, delivered a speech, saying: "On the way here, I remembered the first congress held in 2001. The first congress was held on the initiative of great leader Heydar Aliyev in 2001. In his profound speech, the Great Leader expressed his views on the Karabakh problem, of course, and said that Azerbaijan would restore its territorial integrity, the occupied territories would be liberated from occupation, and the Azerbaijani people would return to their ancestral lands. We, the followers of the Great Leader, have made these words come true. I was informed about the start of preparations for the 5th Congress, and I said that this congress must definitely be held in Shusha." 
 
Today, there are broader opportunities for the unification of our compatriots living in foreign countries around national ideas. Azerbaijan, with its increasing political, economic, cultural, and diplomatic influence from year to year, has become an important partner in the international arena. The leadership of the country is working more closely with diaspora organizations where Azerbaijani communities gather worldwide. As a result, information about Azerbaijan is delivered to the world more objectively and systematically.

As the leading country in the South Caucasus region, Azerbaijan is the homeland of all Azerbaijanis worldwide. After the historic Victory, Azerbaijanis around the world now clearly understand the importance of close unity based on national self-consciousness for the sake of achieving common national goals. The existence and future of the Azerbaijani people, as well as the perpetuity of our national statehood, greatly depend on the unity and organization of Azerbaijanis worldwide.  

Recommended literature:

1. Dünya Azərbaycanlıları: məlumat kitabı / tərt. M. N. Bağıyeva [et al.] ; red. Q. M. Əliyev ; elmi red. Ə. M. Həsənov. I cild. - Bakı : Azərbaycan nəşriyyatı, 2006. - 424,[4] s.
2. Müstəqilliyin 25 ili: azərbaycançılıq ideyası və dil siyasəti / Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prezidenti yanında Qeyri-Hökumət Təşkilatlarına Dövlət Dəstəyi Şurası, "Türk Dünyası İnfo" İB ; tərt., layihənin rəh. D. O. Osmanlı ; red.: Ş. Əliyev, Ə. Qoşalı, İ. İlyaslı ; ön sözün müəl. N. Q. Cəfərov. - Bakı : Qaya nəşriyyat MMC, 2016. - 224 s.
3. Arzumanlı, Vaqif Minad oğlu. Azərbaycan diasporu : reallıqlar, qayğılar, problemlər: monoqrafiya / V. M. Arzumanlı ; elmi red. V. Həbiboğlu ; AMEA Beynəlxalq Münasibətlər İnstitutu. - Bakı : Qartal, 2001. - 800 s.
4. Azərbaycan diasporu: tarix və müasirlik / M. H. Seyidbəyli, Z. M. Əsgərova, A. Qasımova [et al.] ; layihənin rəh. Y. M. Mahmudov ; elmi red. M. H. Seyidbəyli ; AMEA A.A. Bakıxanov adına Tarix İnstitutu. - Bakı : Turxan NPB, 2016. - 384 s.
5. Azərbaycan diasporu: transmilli əlaqələr / M. H. Seyidbəyli, R. Cəfərova, X. C. Qəhrəmanova [et al.] ; elmi red. M. H. Seyidbəyli ; AMEA A.A. Bakıxanov adına Tarix İnstitutu. - Bakı : Avropa nəşriyyatı, 2018. - 200 s.
6. Hüseynzadə, Fuad Abı oğlu. Azərbaycançılıq ideyası - dünya azərbaycanlılarının istinad mənbəyi / F. A. Hüseynzadə ; red. V. Zifəroğlu ; Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prezidenti yanında Qeyri-Hökumət Təşkilatlarına Dövlət Dəstəyi Şurası, Diaspor Fəaliyyətinə Jurnalistlərin Dəstəyi İctimai Birliyi. - Bakı : Apostrof-A, 2020. - 180 s.