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December 31 marks World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day. The last day of December is annually celebrated as a day of Azerbaijani unity.

The main idea of this holiday is the unity and solidarity of the Azerbaijanis from all over the world, respect of national and spiritual values.

On December 6, 1991, at a meeting of the Supreme Assembly of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, chaired by Heydar Aliyev, it was decided to establish the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day. The Supreme Assembly sent an appeal to the country’s parliament - the Supreme Council to adopt a legislative act in this regard.

Taking into account the appeal, Azerbaijan’s Supreme Council adopted a law declaring December 31 as the International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis.

In 1993, December 31 was announced as the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day in accordance with the presidential decree.

Meanwhile, the First Congress of World Azerbaijanis was held in Baku on November 9-10, 2001,

The congress contributed to the strengthening of the national identity, increasing the organization and activity of Azerbaijani communities in various countries. This was a new movement in the country`s socio-political life, a new direction of state policy.

The establishment, in accordance with the Decree of the President of Azerbaijan dated July 5, 2002, of the State Committee for Work with the Azerbaijanis Living in Foreign Countries, the adoption, on December. 27 of the same year, of the Law “On a state policy regarding the Azerbaijanis living abroad” further stepped up the process of organizational development of world Azerbaijanis.

Despite his busy and tense schedule, during his visits to foreign countries, Heydar Aliyev always met with Azerbaijanis living there, inquired about their problems and concerns, and provided his recommendations.

President Ilham Aliyev successfully continues the work of the great leader in this field. The next representative forum, held March 16 in Baku in accordance with the order of the head of state “On holding the 2nd Congress of World Azerbaijanis” on February 8, 2006, became a new step in turning the Azerbaijani diaspora living abroad into a lobby and played an important role in bringing realities about Azerbaijan to the world community.

The First Forum of leaders of Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora organizations, held in Baku March 9, 2007, became an important event for all Turkic-speaking peoples and went down in history as vivid evidence of the importance Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is attaching to the unity of the Turkic world.

As time passes, the Day of Solidarity of World Azerbaijanis is gaining more and more importance.

Today Azerbaijani Diaspora has received the broad options to represent the culture, wealth, language, history and traditions of Azerbaijani nation.

A meeting of the Coordination Council held at the First Congress of World Azerbaijanis (December 18, 2008) in Baku, the adoption of the “World Azerbaijanis Charter” at the meeting increased unity and organization, strengthened ties with the historical Motherland, and reaffirmed that independent Azerbaijan is a center of attraction for the world Azerbaijanis.

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