The language policy in Azerbaijan begins with the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Until that period (either in the 19th century or especially in the early 20th century), prominent Azerbaijani intellectuals advanced certain opinions and suggestions about the native language, as well as the language processes taking place in Azerbaijan.  But, only a month after the formation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, on June 27, 1918, the Azerbaijani (Turkish) language was officially declared the state language. This was the result of the direct influence of the national ideology that developed at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Of course, the government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic would not immediately pay attention to this issue if it were not for the purposeful struggle of the Azerbaijani intellectuals for the literary, socio-political and ideological position of their native language.

At the time of ADR, decisions regarding language, alphabet and education were of great importance for that period. The decisions taken at that time related to language and education remained relevant in the later period. The language policy continued after the fall of the republic.

In June 1921, by the decision of the Central Executive Committee of Azerbaijan, an educational commission was established, which was entrusted with the tasks of developing cultural and educational work and eliminating illiteracy. From the first days of the implementation of cultural and construction work in Azerbaijan, the question of a new alphabet arose. The complexity of the font and letters of the old Arabic alphabet could not contribute to the elimination of mass illiteracy. So there was a need to switch to the Latin alphabet. In November 1920, a commission for the reform of the alphabet was established under the People's Commissariat of Education of the Azerbaijan SSR. On March 6, 1922, a special commission was created to translate the plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist (Bolshevik) Party of Azerbaijan (AC (b) P) into Latin. In May 1922, the Permanent Commission of the New Turkish Alphabet was established, which carried out the romanization of the alphabet. The decisions adopted by the second conference of the Central Committee of the AC(b)P (November 1922) were of the  great importance in solving many cultural and educational issues related to the transition to the new Azerbaijani (Turkish) alphabet. At a meeting of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the AC (b) P on June 12, 1922, the issue of publishing textbooks and newspapers in the Azerbaijani (Turkish) language was discussed, and a decision was made to purchase typewriters in the Azerbaijani language (Turkish). By the decree of the Presidium of the Central Committee of the AC (b) P of June 19, 1922, free education was introduced in educational institutions. According to the order of the Central Executive Committee of Azerbaijan dated July 23, 1923, such an instruction was sent to all settlements and districts of the republic in the districts and villages of the republic that stamps, letterheads and official documents related to the transition to a new alphabet should be printed in the Azerbaijani (Turkish) language.

According to this order, a new column of the alphabet was opened on the pages of the newspapers "Akinchi" and "Communist". On October 20, 1923, the CEC issued a decree "On the recognition of the new Azerbaijani alphabet as the state alphabet." In accordance with this decree, an order was given to conduct office work in all departments and organizations using both the old and the new alphabet. According to the decision of the CEC dated July 31, 1923, all state institutions of Azerbaijan switched to the Azerbaijani (Turkish) language. By the decision of the Council of People's Commissars of the Azerbaijan SSR (Council of People's Commissars) dated October 16, 1923, it was decided to draw up documents for Azerbaijani citizenship in the Azerbaijani (Turkish) alphabet. At the beginning of 1924, the Central Committee of the AC (b) P instructed the commissariats, departments and enterprises of the republic to conduct official correspondence in the Azerbaijani (Turkish) language, and, if necessary, in Russian. To this end, the CEC, CPC, PCIA, People's Commissar of Education, People's Commissariat of Agriculture, local executive committees, village councils and other departments were instructed to conduct office work in the Azerbaijani (Turkish) language. In connection with the decision of the CEC on the transition to the Azerbaijani (Turkish) language, work in this direction was accelerated in all educational institutions of the republic. To fulfill the task of switching to a new Azerbaijani (Turkish) alphabet in the republic, by the decision of the Central Executive Committee of June 26, 1926, a new commission was created, which included 25 members. The commission was supposed to complete the transition to the new Azerbaijani (Turkish) alphabet.
  
The First International Turkological Congress, convened in Baku from February 26 to March 6, 1926, played a special role in the transition to the Latin alphabet. By the decision of the Central Committee of the AC(b)P dated October 11, 1928, a commission was established to organize the creation of a new Azerbaijani alphabet. The commission was tasked with completing the transition to the new alphabet. By a resolution of the Central Executive Committee of May 29, 1928, universal compulsory education was introduced in the republic. The VI All-Azerbaijani Congress of Soviets (April 1929) approved this positive decision of the CEC, and the transition to the new Azerbaijani (Turkish) alphabet, and considered it an important event in the development of the "cultural revolution" in the republic. The congress determined the main tasks of cultural construction, which will be of great importance in the republic. By decision of the Central Executive Committee, on January 1, 1929, the republic switched to a new alphabet.
    
However, 10 years later, in 1939, Azerbaijan switched to the Cyrillic alphabet. After the restoration of the independence in 1991, the Azerbaijani alphabet again switched to the Latin alphabet. 
            
Every year on August 1, the country celebrates the Day of the Azerbaijani alphabet and the Azerbaijani language.              

Recommended literature:

1. Азәрбајҹан тарихи : 7 ҹидддә / АМЕА А.А. Бакыханов адына Тарих Институту. - ISBN 5-8066-1256-2. VI ҹилд : Апрел 1920 - ијун 1941 / мәс’ул ред. Ҹ. Б. Гулијев [et al.]. - Бакы : Елм, 2000. - 568 с.
2. İsaxanlı, İsaxan Abdulla oğlu. Azərbaycanda latın əlifbasına keçid və Fərhad Ağazadə / İ. A. İsaxanlı ; ön sözün müəl. Ə. R. Xələfli ; red. H. İsaxanlı. - Bakı : Xəzər Universiteti nəşriyyatı, 2011. - 172 s.
3. Balayev, Xaqan Əlirza oğlu. Azərbaycan dilinin dövlət dili kimi təşəkkül tarixindən : XVI-XX əsrlər = Из истории становления Азербайджанского языка как государственного : ΧΥΙ-ΧΧ вв. = From the history of formation of Azerbaijani as an official language : XVI-XX centuries / X. Ə. Balayev ; elmi red. Y. M. Mahmudov. - Bakı: Elm və Həyat, 2002. - 199 s.
4. Maarif və mədəniyyətin inkişafında Azərbaycan Mərkəzi İcraiyyə Komitəsinin fəaliyyəti / N. Məmmədov // Tarix və onun problemləri. – 2014. - № 1. – S. 96-102.
5. Azerbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti dövründə həyata keçirilən dil siyasəti / E.İbrahimov // Uluslararası Türkçe Edebiyat Kültür Eğitim Dergisi. – 2020. № 9(4). – S. 1411-1424.
6. Декреты Азревкома (1920-1921гг). Баку: Азернешр, 1988, 519 с.
7. Резолюции и постановления съездов советов Азербайджанской ССР (1921- 1937гг.). Баку: АН Азерб. ССР, 1961, 200 с.