A national flag is a signature, honour and pride of every country that represents and symbolizes a given nation in the world community. The nation that has founded its state on a certain territory, strengthened it, preserved it, managed to protect and develop its national and moral values is able to hoist its flag. History has proved that not every nation has such a chance. The flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which proclaimed its independence in the early twentieth century, is a symbol of our independence and statehood.

The three-color national flag of Azerbaijan was accepted by the government of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan on November 9, 1918. After the collapse of the Democratic Republic on April 28, 1920, and the establishment of the Soviet regime this flag was relinquished in Azerbaijan. Yet the flag was restored by the order of the Supreme Mejlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and was declared the national flag of the Autonomous Republic on November 17, 1990. At the same time, the Supreme Mejlis of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic petitioned the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR for recognition of the three-color flag the national flag of Azerbaijan. On 18 October 1991, the Constitutional Act on the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as the legal successor of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, restored its State symbols, including the State flag. On 8 June 2004, the legislative framework in this area was improved by the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On the Rules for the Use of the State Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan”.

At the end of the last century, our National Leader Heydar Aliyev, who brought the national flag of Azerbaijan back to life for the second time mentioned that the flag of Azerbaijan is not just a flag. It is a symbol of our statehood and independence. Therefore, every citizen of Azerbaijan, especially the young generation, should realize and appreciate it. A citizen’s love for the flag should be equal to his love for his Motherland, nation, state! Every house should have the flag of Azerbaijan. This flag should be not only in official places – offices, streets, palaces, schools, but also become a favourite part of every family’s life.

The national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan consists of three horizontal and equal, stripes. The upper stripe is blue, the middle stripe is red, and the lower stripe is green. The blue strip designates the Turkish origin of the Azerbaijan Republic, the red color – its intention to create a modern state and develop democracy, the green strip – its relation to the Islam civilization. In the middle of the red stripe on both sides of the flag, there is a white-color crescent and an eight-point star.

On November 17, 2009, President Ilham Aliyev signed an order on celebrating November 9 every year as the State Flag Day in Azerbaijan. This flag, which is the memory of the People’s Republic of Azerbaijan, was adopted on November 9, 1918, in the sitting of the Government of the People’s Republic. On 4 December 2009, the Milli Majlis officially approved 9 November as State Flag Day and included it in the list of non-working holidays by amending article 105 of the Labour Code. According to the order, November 9 every year is celebrated as the State Flag Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Addressing the solemn opening ceremony of the National Flag Square in Baku on 1 September 2010, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev emphasized the importance of the national flag: “Our flag is our source of pride. Our flag is our soul, our heart. Today, the national flag is flying in all parts of Azerbaijan. After the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, our national flag will also be raised in the lands which are still under occupation. Our flag will fly in Nagorno-Karabakh, Khankendi and Shusha. We must bring that day ever closer by our work every moment, and we do bring. Long live the Azerbaijani flag!” he said.

Under the leadership of victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, our brave army confidently completed the victorious march to liberate our occupied territories and our lands were liberated. We celebrate all our holidays, including 9 November, the State Flag Day, in the spirit of victory. The tricolour flag flying on our lands liberated from occupation is a symbol of victory, the basis of our pride, our national identity and our confident steps into the future. On the Day of the State Flag it is impossible not to recall the feelings evoked by the joyful news of victory from the front during the 44-day Second Karabakh War. On this day our streets and squares were decorated with the tricolour flag of Azerbaijan. Our flag flying in the capital and regions witnessed the joy of our victory felt by the Azerbaijani people. The first visits of the Head of State, victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev to our territories liberated from occupation immediately after our historic victory were inscribed in history by raising the Azerbaijani flag on these lands.

Recommended literature:

1. Azərbaycanda dövlətçilik və onun rəmzləri = Государственность в Азербайджане и её символы = The Statehood and state symbols in Azerbaijan : kitab-albom / Azərbaycan EA, Azərbaycan Tarixi Muzeyi ; tərt. N. M. Vəlixanlı. - Bakı : Elm, 2000. - 96 s.
2. Mərdanov, Misir Cumayıl oğlu. Azərbaycan Respublikasının Dövlət rəmzləri / M. C. Mərdanov, Ə. Q. Quliyev ; elmi red. R. Ə. Mehdiyev. - Bakı : Çaşıoğlu, 2001. - 272 s.
3. Əliyev, İqrar Həbib oğlu. Azərbaycan Respublikasının Dövlət rəmzləri / İ. H. Əliyev, E. Ə. Məhərrəmov ; red. Y. M. Mahmudov ; AMEA A.A. Bakıxanov adına Tarix İnstitutu, AMEA Arxeologiya və Etnoqrafiya İnstitutu. - Yenidən işlənilmiş nəşri. - Bakı : Nurlan, 2008. - 56 s.
4. Əhmədov Eldar Əşrəf oğlu. Dövlət bayrağına münasibət qaydaları / Ə. E. Əhmədov. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2017. - 47 s.
5. Гезалов, Парвин Фахраддин оглы. Знамена азербайджанских ханств как источник по изучению истории государственности : монография / П. Ф. Гезалов ; науч. ред. С. А. Ахмедов ; Национальная Академия Наук Азербайджана, Национальный Музей Истории Азербайджана НАНА. - Баку : [б. и.], 2010. - 208 с.