Azerbaijani holidays. Holidays and events in Azerbaijan What holiday is today in Baku Azerbaijan
Holidays and events of Azerbaijan 2020: the most important festivals and highlights, national holidays and events in Azerbaijan. Photos and videos, descriptions, reviews and times.
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Azerbaijan has preserved the tradition of celebrating the New Year twice: in the new style - from December 31 to January 1, and in the old style - from January 13 to 14. Moreover, both Christian and Muslim part of the population takes part in the celebrations.
The promotion of an active lifestyle among young people has led to the fact that every year on March 5 the whole country celebrates the Day of Physical Culture and Sports. The most popular sports are football and chess, and national wrestling is also very popular. On the day of the holiday, sports competitions and relay races are held in parks and on the streets, in which anyone can take part.
Navruz is one of the most popular holidays dedicated to the spring equinox and the renewal of nature. Since ancient times, the holiday has preserved many traditions, including washing in the morning with clean water from a river or stream, exchanging warm, sincere wishes and treating each other with sweets. In the morning, you need to eat something sweet - usually honey or sugar, and then inhale fragrant smoke - it is believed that this is how a person gets rid of evil spirits.
There must be seven dishes on the festive table that begin with the letter "s". There should also be a candle on the table - protection from evil forces, a mirror - a symbol of clarity, and a painted egg is placed on it - a symbol of the globe. As soon as the egg sways, it is believed that the year has begun and you can congratulate each other.
The May Flower Festival is an unforgettable and amazing event in the life of the country. Every year on May 10, crowds of people gather on the seaside boulevard to lay flowers at the grave of President Heydar Aliyev (the holiday is timed to coincide with his birthday). Throughout the National Park, colorful flower arrangements, exhibitions of plants and unique birds are spread, the guests of the holiday create an exhibition of drawings on the pavement with their own hands. The evening program includes a concert with performances by world celebrities and fireworks.
The May Flower Festival is one of the brightest events of the year. Every year on May 10, colorful flower arrangements, exhibitions of plants and unique birds unfold in the National Park. Guests of the holiday create an exhibition of drawings on asphalt with their own hands.
On July 15, Sabantuy is celebrated in Baku - a holiday that came to Azerbaijan from Tatarstan. What you will not see on this day in the city are horse races, songs, dances, and sports competitions (those who wish to pull the rope and run in bags), as well as an accordion competition, wrestling competitions and much, much more.
National Music Day on September 18 is another great occasion to enjoy live sound and the perfection of plastique. Within the framework of the festival, an orchestra of folk instruments, a youth symphony orchestra, graduates of the opera and ballet theaters demonstrate their skills. The Azerbaijan Musical Comedy Theater demonstrates its performances.
On October 26, the Pomegranate Festival is traditionally held in Goychay. The streets and parks of the city are decorated before the holiday, and all guests gather at the main festive site in the city center, where the pomegranate fair is widely unfolding. Here you can taste wonderful juice, learn a lot of interesting things about the benefits and significance of this amazing fruit. The entertainment program includes a concert and competitions - both sports and music and dance.
At the end of March, I was visiting my friends - an Azerbaijani family that has been living in Russia for quite a long time. I looked in just for a couple of minutes, but, in the best traditions of Caucasian hospitality, I was seated at the table. There was no point in refusing, especially since the host had a really good reason: the family was celebrating a national holiday.
Which? But try to guess and imagine my confusion when the hostess - Gulnara - put a plate with colored eggs on the table and began to light candles.
And ... where is the Easter cake? I asked in bewilderment. - Do you have Easter? Although... wait... what is Easter in Islam... What do you celebrate?
Gulnara smiled:
Novruz. Well, consider that ... Shrove Tuesday!
Happy New Year!
The whole family laughed at my confusion. I didn't really understand what was going on. Finally, especially for me, the hospitable hosts conducted a short historical and cultural excursion into the traditions of the national holidays of Azerbaijan. After that, everything more or less fell into place. So get ready: you will be surprised how much our nations have in common.
The coming of spring
Let's start with Novruz, at the celebration of which I happened to be. Its full name is Novruz Bayram, which means "holiday of a new day". Although in a broad sense it is still a holiday of the new year. It is celebrated for five days, including March 20 and March 21 - the day of the spring equinox. Novruz has nothing to do with Islam, and therefore it is celebrated in Azerbaijan by all the numerous ethnic and religious groups. Everyone rejoices at the arrival of spring and the fact that nature comes to life. Here it is - the starting point of the new year. Hence the tradition to paint eggs, symbolizing the birth of a new life. This custom is at least two and a half thousand years old: the ancient New Year was celebrated in this way in the first centuries BC throughout Persia.
In addition to colored eggs, sweets, pilaf, semeni (wheat sprouted in a plate) and ... a mirror must be present on the Novruz festive table. According to ancient belief, the Earth rests on the horns of a huge bull, but this bull periodically gets tired and once a year throws the planet from one horn to another. How do you know when he does it? Put an egg on the mirror: as soon as it swung, the bull “thrown” the Earth and the new year came.
And a mirror is an obligatory attribute of divination. Azerbaijani girls, like Russian young ladies in the "Epiphany evening", are trying to find out who will become their betrothed-mummers. To do this, you need to get up in the middle of the night, light a candle and go to the mirror. In it you will see the future groom. Or here's another way: before going to bed, you need to eat a salty cake and in no case drink it with anything. The betrothed will appear in a dream and bring water to the bride.
But the most common divination these days is "gulag faly" or "fortune telling by ear". This is when neighbors eavesdrop on each other. But not in order to learn the secrets of family life, but to interpret the future. You hear auspicious words in a fragment of a neighbor's speech - the year will pass happily. That is why everyone tries to reconcile with each other in advance and talk only about good things.
Not a single Novruz is complete without jumping over a fire. It also feels like something native, doesn’t it? A fire is lit in each yard, over which you need to jump 7 times in order to "burn" all adversity.
And this holiday is unthinkable without the two main characters of the Spit (Goat's beard) and Kechal (Bald). Drawing an analogy with our Shrovetide, these are ... buffoons who arrange performances on the streets of cities. The scythe lives in the mountains and symbolizes winter, Kechal - the spring land from which the snow has come down. The heroes tease each other, and spring must win in their verbal duel.
State Days
In addition to Novruz, Azerbaijan also celebrates sacred for Muslims Gurban Bayram (the end of the Hajj) and Ramadan Bayram (the end of fasting in Ramadan) at the state level. These days are non-working.
Some secular holidays have remained since the times of the USSR. Here, they still treat Victory Day with great respect and celebrate March 8 while watching Office Romance.
However, the holidays that really unite all the inhabitants of Azerbaijan are the "days of the state". Here are the most important ones:
National Revival Day (November 17),
- Independence Day (October 18),
- National Flag Day (November 9),
- National Salvation Day of the Azerbaijani people (June 15),
- Republic Day (May 28).
The last one on the list will be up soon. This holiday is actually the first Independence Day of the country, proclaimed back in 1918. Then the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic lasted only 2 years, but after the USSR collapsed, the holiday was revived.
Some names of Azerbaijani holidays sound unusual for us. What, for example, do the days of "national salvation" and "national revival" mean?
So, in order.
National Revival Day
29 years ago, on November 17, 1988, a rally of residents of the country, dissatisfied with the policies of the Soviet Union, took place on the main square of Baku. The demonstrators were concerned about the outbreak of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the influx of refugees. It was then that for the first time there were calls for Azerbaijan's withdrawal from the USSR. Since then, November 17 has been considered the day of the unification of Azerbaijanis and the strengthening of the national spirit.
National Salvation Day of the Azerbaijani people
The first years of independent life of the young republic could not be called simple. The country experienced the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, economic recession, and emigration of the population. But in 1993, Heydar Aliyev returned to the administration of Azerbaijan, soon leading the state to economic prosperity and political stability. The day of the return of the president is called the Day of National Salvation of the Azerbaijani people and is celebrated on June 15.
Heydar Aliyev is truly a national hero in the republic, and his birthday (May 10) is now also celebrated as the Flower Day. This is an unofficial celebration during which parks and boulevards are decorated with floral art objects.
Cultural holidays
A special place in the life of Azerbaijan is occupied by the holidays of national culture: the Day of National Cinema, the Day of the Azerbaijani Alphabet and Language, but above all, the Day of National Music. After all, it is the language of music that everyone understands without words. This holiday is celebrated on September 18, the birthday of Uzeyir Gadzhibekov, composer, conductor and founder of many cultural reforms in the republic. Hajibeyov combined elements of national music with European classics and created the first operas in the Islamic world.
The modern musical tradition does not deviate from these principles either: folk elements are woven into symphonic works, opera, rock, jazz, popular songs and even ... rap battles. However, with regard to the latter, this is not surprising, because in Azerbaijan there is an ancient custom of performing meykhana - a song composed on the go, sung in recitative. "Come on, goodbye" remember? This is the real meykhana.
The main secret of such a song is "it must come from the heart". Not a single festive Azerbaijani feast is complete without meykhana. The Nowruz celebration, which I attended, was no exception either. The owner of the house in a recitative form told us how wonderful the onset of spring is, and how glad he is to see relatives and friends gathered at his table.
Unfortunately, I don't know how to compose songs, but I can speak "from the heart in prose". That is why I also want to thank the Gulnara family for their hospitality here, on the blog, congratulate all Azerbaijanis on the upcoming Republic Day and wish them happiness, success, kindness and good luck!
Photo sources
www.rus24.news/culture/kak-projdet-novru z-bajram-v-kazani-programma/
www.bbc.com/russian/blog-krechetnikov-39 267824
www.az.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/2375271.html
www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/photo_albums/2042
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq51gXi49j8
This bright and cheerful holiday is celebrated in different countries in different ways, however, everywhere it is loved and expected. Starting from the first days of December in cities, villages, in every team and every family, the approach of this winter celebration is felt.
January 14 - Old New Year
The tradition of celebrating the Old New Year comes from the discrepancy between the Julian calendar (or otherwise the "old style" calendar) and the Gregorian calendar - the one that almost the whole world now lives by. Divergence of calendars in XX - XX I centuries is 13 days. The Old New Year is a rare historical phenomenon, an additional holiday that resulted from a change in the chronology. Due to this discrepancy in calendars, we celebrate two "New Years" - according to the old and new styles. Thus, on the night of January 13-14, everyone can afford to "complete" the most favorite holiday. Indeed, for many believers, the Old New Year is of particular importance, since they can celebrate it wholeheartedly only after the end of the Advent. Interestingly, the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars increases every century when the number of hundreds in the year from the birth of Christ is not a multiple of four, by one day. Therefore, from March 1, 2100, this difference will be 14 days. And from 2101, Christmas and the Old New Year will be celebrated a day later. Today, the popularity of the Old New Year is growing from year to year, and Russia is no exception. More and more people treat it as an independent holiday that prolongs the charm of the New Year or allows you to feel this charm for the first time ... This holiday is calmer, it is not characterized by the fuss that is an inevitable companion of the New Year. It is also noted in Azerbaijan and Belarus.
January 20 - Day of National Sorrow
Azerbaijan holiday. In Azerbaijan, it is considered a day of mourning in connection with the tragic events of January 20, 1990, when Soviet troops entered Baku. Thus, the Constitutions of the USSR and the Azerbaijan SSR, as well as the Constitutional Law on the sovereignty of the Republic, were violated. The result - 170 dead, about 400 wounded. Among them are civilians: youth, old people, women, children. There were no casualties among the military. This is the terrible result of the tragedy that broke out in the streets of Baku that night.
The Alley of Martyrs is located in Nagorny Park. Here are the graves of the heroically dead Azerbaijani citizens who fought for the independence of their state. The alley of martyrs is worshiped by the entire Azerbaijani people.
February 14 - Valentine's Day (Valentine's Day)
Celebrated in Estonia, Belarus, Finland, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Poland.
Officially, Valentine's Day has existed for more than 16 centuries, but the holidays of Love have been known since ancient pagan cultures. For example, the Romans celebrated Lupercalia - a February festival of eroticism in honor of Lupercalia in honor of the Faun Luperca, the impregnating deity, and the love goddess Juno Februata. The highlight of the festive program was a kind of lottery: young men drew lots - pieces of paper with the names of young maidens. These girls became their girlfriends until the next lottery. Much later, the Christian Pope Gelasius, wanting to get rid of pagan remnants, replaced female names with the names of saints and somewhat changed the rules of the game. Naturally, not everyone liked it. The wise dad, judging that canceling the youth festival is a thankless task, decided to modify it a little, transforming it into a Christian holiday. So, it was necessary to urgently find a replacement for Faun Luperk. The most suitable candidate for the pope seemed to be the holy martyr Valentine, who had the most direct relation to love.
February 21 - International Mother Language Day
international holiday, UN holiday; noted in Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Armenia.
International Mother Language Day was proclaimed by the UNESCO General Conference on November 17, 1999 and has been celebrated every year since February 2000 with the aim of draw attention to the need to preserve multilingualism in the world. In turn, the UN General Assembly in its resolution declared 2008 the International Year of Languages. 2010 was proclaimed the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures. Languages are the most powerful tool for preserving and developing our material and spiritual heritage. 96% of all existing languages - and there are 6 thousand of them - are understood by only 4% of the world's population. But even the most exotic languages, spoken by a negligible number of people, are carriers of collective memory and intangible cultural heritage. UNESCO estimates that half of the world's approximately 6,000 languages may soon lose their last native speakers. All steps towards the dissemination of small languages serve not only to develop a fuller acquaintance with the linguistic and cultural traditions around the world, but also to strengthen mutual understanding, tolerance, promote dialogue.
February 26 - Day of Khojaly genocide and national sorrow
Azerbaijani holiday (day of mourning). On the night of February 25-26, 1992, Armenian armed formations, with the support of heavy equipment and personnel of the 366th motorized rifle regiment of the former USSR, stationed in the city of Khankendi, captured the city of Khojaly. The assault on the city was preceded by a massive shelling of artillery pieces, heavy military equipment, which began on the evening of February 25. As a result, a fire broke out in the city, and by five o'clock in the morning on February 26, the city was almost completely engulfed in flames. The population that remained in the city, about 2,500 people, was forced to leave their homes with the only hope of breaking through in the direction of the city of Agdam, the regional center, which is the nearest settlement populated mainly by Azerbaijanis. But these plans were not destined to come true. The Armenian armed formations, with the assistance of the military forces of the motorized rifle regiment, who defeated the city of Khojaly with particular cruelty, massacred the civilian population. As a result, 613 people (children, women, elderly people) were killed. 150 people went missing. Several families have been completely destroyed, many children have lost both or one of their parents. 487 people were injured. 1275 people were taken hostage. Colossal damage was caused to the state and personal property of citizens, estimated at 5 billion rubles (in April 1992 prices). These figures speak of the bloodiest tragedy of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which began in February 1988.
On January 6, 1992, the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic declared independence.
March 8 - International Women's Day
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, March 8 remained on the list of public holidays in the Russian Federation. International Women's Day is celebrated in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Belarus like International Women's Day; in Uzbekistan as Mother's Day; in Armenia it is celebrated on April 7 as Motherhood and Beauty Day.
March 21 - Novruz
Novruz(Pers. "new day"), as well as International Day of Novruz(March 21) - the first day of the beginning of spring, corresponding to the day of Ormazd of the month of Farvardin according to the astronomical solar calendar among the Iranian peoples, the Turkic peoples and a number of peoples of Eurasia. The very word "Navruz" is translated as "new day". In some ideas about Navruz among the Kurdish people, the word comes from the phrase half - Niw and day - roj. It is also worth noting that this version appeared quite recently, and Orientalists, Kurds and linguists find direct evidence of this theory of the origin of the holiday. In general, Navruz is the equality of day and night; the beginning of a season of growth and prosperity.
March 22 - World Water Day
In 1992, in Rio de Janeiro, as part of the UN conference "Environmental Protection and Development of the United Nations", the UN General Assembly decided to celebrate March 22 as World Water Day. As with many peoples of the world, so among Azerbaijanis, water was always poured after a person leaving on a long journey. The faith of people in the cleansing power of water gave hope. So, according to one of the beliefs that exists among Azerbaijanis, forty vessels of water should be poured on the head of the guilty. Or, for example, the custom of telling bad dreams to water still exists. Purification through water is also expressed in the custom of jumping seven times over flowing water on the last Wednesday before Novruz. This was done in order to cleanse from the sins and sorrows of the outgoing year. And the next morning after the onset of the new year, there was a custom to bring water from the spring.
March 31 - Azerbaijani Genocide Day
On March 26, 1998, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, issued a Decree, according to which this date was established in memory of the victims of the massacres of Azerbaijanis in Baku, Shamakhi and other cities committed by Armenians in March 1918.
April 2 - International Children's Book Day
Celebrated in Azerbaijan. Since 1967, on the initiative and decision of the International Council for Children's Books, on April 2, the birthday of the great storyteller Hans Christian Andersen, the whole world has been celebrating International Children's Book Day, thereby emphasizing its role in shaping the spiritual and intellectual image of new generations of the Earth.
April 28 - World Day for Safety at Work
World Day for Safety at Work has been celebrated in Azerbaijan every year since 2003, when the International Labor Organization began to promote the ideas of a culture of safety at work with its help. Every year in April in Baku and other regions of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, associations of employers and workers organize an information and explanatory campaign dedicated to the prevention of accidents at work and occupational diseases as part of their activities.
April 30 - World Twin Cities Day
The holiday "World Day of Sister Cities" has been celebrated since 1963 on the last Sunday of April (including in Azerbaijan). The World Federation of Twin Cities is an international non-governmental organization founded in Paris on April 28, 1957. Founded by representatives of sister cities in Aix-les-Bains (France), in 1970 it already united up to 1 thousand cities in more than 50 countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and America. The first agreement on friendship and cooperation between the cities of the allied countries in the Anti-Hitler coalition was signed back in 1942 between Stalingrad and English Coventry - cities almost completely destroyed by the war .Sh tab-apartment VFPG - in Paris.
May 3 - World Press Freedom Day
It is celebrated in different countries, including Azerbaijan.
On May 3, 1991, African journalists gathered in the Namibian capital of Windhoek for a regional seminar on promoting independent media and signed the "Windhoek Declaration", calling on governments around the world to ensure freedom of the press and its democratic character. This declaration was the first document containing commitments to protect the freedom of people to express their opinions and have access to various independent sources of information. The significance of the Windhoek Declaration adopted at the seminar was so great that on December 21, 1993, the UN General Assembly decided to celebrate May 3 on an international scale as World Press Freedom Day.
May 9 - Victory Day
In the fire In World War II, three million Belarusians burned down. There is not a single family in the republic that was not affected by the war. It is not surprising that May 9 is one of the brightest holidays in Belarus. It was the Belarusians who were the first to take the blow of Nazi Germany and experienced the brunt of the past war. Tortured, but unconquered Belarus, thanks to the exceptional courage and selflessness of the entire population, turned into an impregnable fortress for the invaders and went down in world history as a partisan region.
May 10 - Flower Day in Azerbaijan
At the initiative of the executive power of the city of Baku, a number of events are annually held to mark the anniversary of the birth of the national leader and 3rd president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev (May 10, 1923 - December 12, 2003).
May 15 - International Day of the Family
In 1993, the UN General Assembly decided that, starting from 1994, May 15 will be celebrated annually as International Day of the Family. The establishment of this day aims to draw the attention of the public of different countries to the numerous problems of the family in order to increase the possibility of solving them on the basis of a comprehensive policy. Particular attention is paid to families affected by hostilities, victims of poverty and AIDS and forced to fight for basic living conditions. According to the UN Secretary-General, when the fundamental rights of one family are violated, the unity of the entire human family of which they are members is threatened.
May 17 - World Information Society Day
In Azerbaijan, the creation of the legal foundations of the information society and a single national information space, the realization of the rights of citizens to receive information, its dissemination and use, the formation of "transparent" apparatuses of state power and local self-government, electronic state, electronic commerce, strengthening the social and intellectual potential of the country are among of the main priorities of state policy.
May 23 - Day of the Declaration of the Báb
The Baha'i community in Azerbaijan has existed since the very moment of the emergence of this faith - from the middle of the 19th century. During the years of Soviet power, the Baha'i faith, like other religions, could not be confessed openly. After the collapse of the USSR and the restoration of the state independence of Azerbaijan, freedom of religion gradually began to be restored in the country. In 1992, after the adoption by the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan of the Law on freedom of religion, the Baha'is of Azerbaijan were given the opportunity to officially create communities. In 1993, by the decision of the Collegium of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan, official permission was given for the activities of the Bahai Community in Baku. In 2002, the Baku community was re-registered in the State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the same year there was also registered Sumgayit Baha'i community.
In 2004, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Azerbaijan, the central body of the national Baha'i community, received official registration. Baha'is in the Republic of Azerbaijan after democratic reforms, along with other citizens, live a full life.
May 27 - Ramadan
Celebrated in Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Chechen Republic, Kyrgyzstan and other countries. The holy month of Ramadan is defined for Muslims in the second year of the Hijra (622nd year) and is designed to teach people to love the principles of Allah, to give them the opportunity to show their strong-willed qualities, tolerance, to be vigilant, conscientious. During this month, Muslims observe fasting orujlug. The history of orudzhlug begins from the second year of the Hijra, when the Prophet Muhammad established the month of Ramadan for Muslims in the city of Medina. It was on one of the last 10 nights of the month of Ramadan that Allah gave the Koran to Muslims. It is said that this event happened on the night of the 23rd to the 24th, or on the night of the 26th to the 27th. This night is called laylat al-Qadr"- a strong and powerful night. The Quran says the following about this night: “On this night we really gave strength, power, this night is stronger than a thousand months, the angels descended to earth and are waiting for the order of Allah, this night until dawn the world.” During fasting, orudzhlug is not allowed to eat, smoke, perform marital duties, etc. during daylight hours. Only children, the sick, pregnant women, those fighting at the front, travelers (travelers) are free from this. Orujlug begins with the appearance of a new Month (Moon) and lasts 29-30 days.
May 28 - Republic Day in Azerbaijan
Another name for the holiday in Azerbaijan is the Day of the Revival of Azerbaijani Statehood.
The formation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918 is the brightest page in the history of Azerbaijan, which requires an objective scientific study of historical science.
May 31 - World No Tobacco Day
On May 31, a number of events are held in Azerbaijan dedicated to the World No Tobacco Day. Children dressed in T-shirts with anti-tobacco symbols are distributing leaflets on the central streets of Baku with information about the dangers of smoking. On the same day, anti-tobacco videos are broadcast on the central channels of the country; the problems of smoking, its social and medical aspects are discussed on radio stations and in television programs.
June 1 - International Children's Day
International Children's Day serves as an occasion to mobilize world public opinion in protecting children from the threat of war, in preserving the health of children, in carrying out their upbringing and education on democratic and humane principles.
June 15 - National Salvation Day of Azerbaijan
Established due to the fact that in 1993 Heydar Aliyev returned to the leadership of the Republic and was elected Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This day has been celebrated since 1997, and in 1998 the holiday received the status of a state holiday.
June 20 - World Refugee Day
Every year, refugees and internally displaced people celebrate this sad day. It was approved by a resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2000. World Refugee Day - a statement of fact: wars on earth do not stop, but there are international agreements on which the protection of refugees is based and respect for the fortitude and courage of refugees around the world is shown.
July 11 - World Population Day
As an international holiday, it was declared at the initiative of the Board of Governors of the United Nations Development Program in 1989. The world population is constantly increasing. If in 2001 its number was 6.1 billion people, then in 2050, according to UN estimates, it will reach about 9.3 billion people. In developing countries, young people under the age of 20 make up more than 40% of the population. This means that the decisions that young people make will shape our world and the prospects of future generations. On the eve of World Population Day, the United Nations is calling on world leaders to listen to what young people have to say about their concerns and aspirations and to do everything they can to ensure that laws, policies and programs that support young people's participation in public life and protect their rights are effective were carried out.
July 15 - Sabantuy holiday in Azerbaijan
Despite the fact that Sabantuy is a national holiday of Tatarstan, according to President M. Shaimiev, it “crossed national borders, becoming a common holiday ... of friendship for people of different nationalities. Sabantuy contributes to the mutual enrichment of cultures, allows other peoples to get in touch with the centuries-old customs and traditions of the Tatar people.” Therefore, it is celebrated annually in Azerbaijan as well.
August 1 - Day of the Azerbaijani alphabet and language
During the entry of Azerbaijan into the tsarist Russia, the people used the Arabic alphabet. But since 1920 in Azerbaijan (already part of the USSR) The Russian language actually acquired the status of the state language: an alphabet reform was carried out, as a result of which, instead of the Arabic alphabet, a new Azerbaijani alphabet was used according to the Latin script; later it was decided to switch to Cyrillic.
September 1 - Feast of the Sacrifice (Kurban-Bayram, Kurman Ait or Eid al-Adha - among the Krygyz)
islamic holiday End of Hajj (Eid al-Adha; Azeri Qurban Bayramı ), celebrated 70 days after the holiday of Uraza Bayram, on the 10th day of the month of Zul-Hijja in memory of the sacrifice of the prophet Ibrahim. The Muslim calendar consists of 12 lunar months and contains about 354 days, which is 10 or 11 days less than the solar year. For this reason, the days of Muslim religious holidays are shifted from the Gregorian calendar each year. Celebrated in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Chechen Republic, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Dagestan Republic and etc.
September 8 - International Literacy Day
international holiday, is also observed in Azerbaijan.
According to various estimates, there are 774 million adults in the world who cannot read and write, of which two-thirds are women. Over 72 million children are not in school. These figures serve as a reminder of how much more needs to be done to ensure that citizens' rights to education and literacy are realized. On a global scale, the fight against illiteracy is still the most important task. It must involve everyone - governments, organizations of the United Nations system, other international organizations, the private sector, civil society, local groups and individuals.
September 10 - World Suicide Prevention Day
international day (World Suicide Prevention Day).
Suicide for a variety of reasons remains an urgent problem in Azerbaijan. The International Association for Suicide Prevention, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), holds events on this day aimed at saving the lives of people who are prone to or have exposed themselves to suicide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), suicide is the biggest problem of mankind, every year suicide causes the death of a million people. In addition, suicide is one of the main causes of death on a global scale, especially among young people. WHO calls for suicide prevention not only with the help of healthcare professionals, but also with the help of education, law enforcement, justice, religion, politics, and the media. Cases of suicide are not rare in developed countries with a high standard of living. According to statistics, the world leader in suicide is Sweden, one of the most prosperous countries in the world. The best protection of society from suicide could be national traditions, family values and other qualities inherent in every nation.
September 18 - National Music Day in Azerbaijan
It is celebrated annually on the birthday of the founder of the professional musical art of Azerbaijan, Uzeyir Gadzhibekov. The first opera in Azerbaijan and in the whole East, Hajibeyov's opera "Leyli and Majnun" was first staged on January 12, 1908. From this date, the history of the professional national opera in Azerbaijan begins. The 34th session of the UNESCO General Conference, within the framework of the program for organizing anniversaries of outstanding personalities and significant events, decided to officially celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opera "Leyli and Majnun" in 2008-2009. The first National Music Festival, which started in February 2007 and timed to coincide with the centenary of the first opera in Azerbaijan, as well as the country's composer school as a whole, was held in the regions of Azerbaijan: in Ismayilli, Gabala, Fizuli, Kurdamir, Agsu, Khanlar, Ganja, Goranboy, Masallah . State musical groups took part in the concerts.
In the musical history of Azerbaijan, the pages associated with the name of the opera and pop singer, People's Artist of the USSR Muslim Magomayev are unforgettable.
September 21 - International Day of Peace
In 1982, the UN General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Peace as a day of universal ceasefire and non-violence (resolution of November 30, 1981). Initially, the International Day of Peace was celebrated on the third Tuesday of September - the opening day of the regular session of the UN General Assembly. In a resolution of September 7, 2001, the General Assembly decided that since 2002 International Day world will be celebrated annually on 21 September. On this day, a call is made to stop all hostilities for at least 1 day and honor this holiday in all countries with a minute of silence at noon local time. The UN uses Peace Day celebrations to highlight its many-sided work in support of peace and to encourage individuals, groups and communities around the world to think about peace and share information and practical experience in achieving peace. The UN calls on all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, regional and non-governmental organizations and individuals to mark the International Day of Peace in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness, and to cooperate with the UN in securing a worldwide ceasefire.
October 1 - International (World) Day of Older Persons
Marked as international holiday, including in Belarus, Azerbaijan, Latvia, Russia. It was established by the decision of the UN General Assembly in 1990 in order to draw more attention to the problems of older people. Old people are treated differently. In words - "the old people everywhere we honor." In reality, when a certain age limit is reached, human morality literally pushes the elderly out of public life, not taking into account their creative and labor potential.
October 18 - State Independence Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan
On August 30, 1991, at an extraordinary session of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan, it was adopted Declaration on the Restoration of the State Independence of the Republic. At the same time, a resolution of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan “On the restoration of the state independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan” was adopted. Based on the Declaration of Independence adopted by the National Council of Azerbaijan on May 28, 1918, on October 18, 1991, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted the Constitutional Act on the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan, establishing the foundations of the state, political and economic structure of the country. From that moment, October 18 became a national independence holiday.
October 26 - Pomegranate Holiday in Azerbaijan
With the joint organization of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the regional executive power, in the city of Goychay - a traditional center pomegranate Azerbaijan - the Pomegranate Festival is held annually. Representatives of state bodies, members of the Milli Majlis, representatives of the diplomatic corps, guests from neighboring regions come to the region to participate in the festive events.
November 12 - Constitution Day of Azerbaijan
The constitution of the republic was adopted through a general popular referendum on November 12, 1995, and on the same day, the first parliamentary elections were held in independent Azerbaijan. The decision to establish Constitution Day was made on February 6, 1996. The people of Azerbaijan, continuing the centuries-old traditions of their statehood, declared their intention to defend the Republic of Azerbaijan, guarantee a democratic system, achieve the establishment of a civil society and live in conditions of friendship, peace and security with other peoples.
November 13 - International Day of the Blind
On this day, events are held in Azerbaijan, the purpose of which is to draw the attention of society to people who have lost their sight. So, for example, the Baku mayor's office decided to equip all traffic lights in the capital with sound signals for visually impaired pedestrians. Specialists chose the sound taking into account the interests of both the disabled and the residents of the residential area. The volume of the signal may vary depending on the time of day. The loudest signal sounds during the daytime hours, and from 9 pm to 8 am it is turned off. On December 9, 2007, a cooperation agreement was signed between the United Nations Development Program and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, concerning the provision of access to information and communication technologies for people who have lost the ability to see and with low vision. 320,000 disabled people live in Azerbaijan. Of these, 40,000 are blind and visually impaired people. The project will serve the participation of these people in the life of society, expanding their opportunities for obtaining knowledge and information through information and communication means, increasing their employment, and generally improving the lifestyle of these people.
There are 124 million blind people in the world. According to the World Health Organization, by 2020 their number could double.
November 14 - World Diabetes Day
Alarming statistics show that the number of diabetic patients in Azerbaijan is increasing from year to year. The state has created a legislative framework focused on people with diabetes: the law “On State Assistance to Persons with Diabetes” (December 23, 2004), in the summer of 2005, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted the State Program on Assistance to People with Diabetes. Today, scientists around the world are increasingly convinced that the foundations of this insidious disease are laid in childhood. That is why timely prevention among children and adolescents can save them and the whole society from this disease. And even if diabetes still overtook a person, then it can be brought under control if detected at an early stage. And then the person will live normally, without fear of the occurrence of serious consequences of this disease.
November 17 - National Revival Day of Azerbaijan
In 1988, on this day, on Lenin Square (Freedom Square) in Baku (Azerbaijan), the first indefinite mass protest rallies began against the policy of the central authorities of the former Union in relation to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, for the first time there were calls for Azerbaijan's secession from the USSR. Gradually, the rally grew into a powerful, unprecedented political action. According to some estimates, about half a million people gathered on the square in those days. On November 22, a curfew was introduced in Baku and large forces of Soviet troops were brought together. On the night of December 3-4, using the force of the troops and armored vehicles, the protesters were dispersed, many of whom (about 400 people) were subsequently arrested. For Azerbaijanis, the Day of National Revival symbolizes the beginning of the national liberation movement, as a result of which Azerbaijan became an independent state. In 1991, Azerbaijan became an independent state, and Independence Day was established in the Republic in honor of this event.
December 1 - World AIDS Day
The campaign has been initiated by the World Health Organization since December 1, 1988. As of 2006, 928 HIV carriers were registered in Azerbaijan. The first case of HIV infection was identified in 1992. These are official statistics that do not reflect the real situation. The main problem in all countries is the lack of medicines to support the life of HIV-infected people. There are 15 laboratories in different regions of the country, where everyone can anonymously and absolutely free of charge donate blood for HIV detection. Recently, another problem has come to light - AIDS is brought into the country by guest workers - people who go to work in Ukraine, Russia, Dubai. In order to protect the country's population from this terrible disease, multi-stage cooperation of all structures interested in this is carried out, support is also provided by the state. The stigmatization or mistreatment of people living with HIV/AIDS drives the epidemic underground, creating ideal conditions for the spread of HIV.
December 1 - Mawlid al-Nabi - the birth of the Prophet Muhammad
At present, Mawlid al-Nabi is widely celebrated in Azerbaijan, Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and other Muslim countries.
December 31 - Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis around the world
This day marks the Day of National Solidarity of Azerbaijanis living in all countries of the world. This day has been a national holiday since 1991. Several tens of millions of Azerbaijanis live in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Turkey, the CIS countries, Germany, France, Great Britain, the Scandinavian countries, the USA and the Middle East. The largest Azerbaijani diaspora (about 2 million people) lives in Russia. The main idea of the Day of National Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis is “the unity and solidarity of the Azerbaijanis of the world, the statehood of Azerbaijan, respect for the national and spiritual values of the people, feelings and ideas associated with belonging to the Azerbaijani people, attachment to the historical homeland.
Since Azerbaijan lives according to the Gregorian calendar, the new year here begins on January 1st. New Year in Azerbaijan is celebrated in the same way as in most other countries of the world. On this day, Christmas trees are decorated, people congratulate each other and Santa Claus or Site Klaus and Sne-V&O GURochka Give gifts to children. New Year is celebrated at the festive table. It is believed that desires
made for the New Year will surely come true.
On March 8, 1908, the police broke up a peaceful demonstration of women in New York. At the initiative of the leader of the German women's movement, Clara Zetkin, this day has been celebrated all over the world since 1911. Azerbaijan has been celebrating International Women's Day since 1917.
This holiday has the oldest traditions in Azerbaijan. Their roots go back to the ancient
time. At the state level, it began to be celebrated since 1921, when March 20-21 were declared holidays by the decision of the Azerbaijan Revolutionary Committee. During the period of repressions in the 1930s, the celebration of Novruz at the state level was prohibited. Historical sources allow us to say that Novruz Bayramy has been celebrated in Azerbaijan since the time of the Babylonian civilization - the 3rd millennium BC. By a decree of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR dated March 13, 1990, the celebration of Novruz at the state level was resumed.
This day began to be celebrated after the end of World War II. On the initiative of Stalin, it was decided to celebrate May 9 as the day when Nazi Germany signed the act of surrender. Since then, this holiday has been celebrated in Azerbaijan as well. Azerbaijan played an important role in the victory over Nazi Germany. During the war, Azerbaijan supplied 70% of oil and oil products, as well as 85-90% of aviation fuel produced in the Soviet Union for the Soviet air force. About 681,000 Azerbaijanis went to the front, about 250,000 of them fell on the battlefields.
It is connected with the events of the beginning of the 20th century. On May 28, 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was formed, the first democratic republic in the East. But in April 1920, after the occupation of Azerbaijan by Soviet troops, the republic was abolished and the celebration of this day was prohibited. On May 19, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan, by its decision, resumed the celebration of the Day of the Republic on May 28.
On June 15, 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected chairman of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan. Previously holding the post of chairman of the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Heydar Aliyev saved the country from collapse, prevented a civil war in June 1993, when the very existence of the state was under threat. On June 27, 1997, the Milli Majlis (parliament) of Azerbaijan declared June 15 the Day of National Salvation.
After the declaration of independence of Azerbaijan in 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic began to create its own army. On June 26, the Government of the republic adopted a resolution to create the first national army unit - the Caucasian Islamic Army. But the Soviet occupation on April 28, 1920 prevented this. After the restoration of independence at the end of the 20th century, the President of Azerbaijan, by decree of May 22, 1998, declared June 26 the Day of the Armed Forces.
With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Azerbaijani people gained independence - the struggle for national liberation, which they began in 1988, ended in victory. On October 18, 1991, the Supreme Council of the Republic adopted the constitutional act "On the Restoration of State Independence", and the referendum on December 19 confirmed the legal force of this act. Since October 5, 1994, October 18 has been celebrated as the Independence Day of Azerbaijan.
After the adoption of the first Constitution of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan on November 12, 1995, this date became significant and is annually celebrated as the Constitution Day.
This is an important holiday, which is the result of the nation's struggle for freedom and independence. It was on November 17, 1988 that the Azerbaijani people began to openly express their dissatisfaction with the country's policies, holding protest demonstrations. By the Decree of the President of Azerbaijan in November 1992, this day was designated as the Day of National Revival.
In the late 1980s, at a time when the Soviet regime was already collapsing, Azerbaijan began to make more efforts to deepen ties with Azerbaijanis abroad, and primarily with those living in Iran and Turkey. And it all started with the destruction of many kilometers of barbed wire barriers installed by Soviet troops between our countries. This historic event took place on December 31, 1989, after the restoration of the state independence of Azerbaijan. On the initiative of Heydar Aliyev, the then chairman of the Supreme Majlis of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, taking into account the great significance of this event, December 16, 1991 was declared the Day of International Solidarity of Azerbaijanis and has been celebrated since that time. This holiday plays an important role in establishing strong ties with Azerbaijanis living in different countries, and contributes to strengthening their unity and solidarity.
Azerbaijanis also celebrate Islamic holidays - the holy Ramadan and the Feast of Sacrifice - Gurban Bayram, the dates of which are determined according to the Muslim calendar (Hijra). Holidays are also declared days off.
