November 9 is National Flag Day in Azerbaijan.

National Flag Day was established by President Ilham Aliyev's Decree "On establishing the National Flag Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan" dated November 17, 2009. On December 4 of the same year, the Milli Majlis officially declared November 9 as the National Flag Day.

Ednews takes a brief look at the history of our National Flag, which is one of our national symbols and a source of pride.

The national flag of Azerbaijan was adopted on November 9, 1918 at the meeting of the Government of the Republic. Our tricolor flag, which was lowered after the fall of the Republic in April 1920, was raised again in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic 70 years later - on November 17, 1990, by the decision of the session held under the initiative and leadership of the Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Heydar Aliyev. A little later - on February 5, 1991, according to the decision of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan, that tricolor flag was adopted as the national flag. On October 18 of the same year, with the Constitutional Act "On the State Independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan", the Republic of Azerbaijan restored its state symbols, including the State Flag, as the successor of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. On June 8, 2004, the legislative base in this field 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".

Finally, on October 18, 1991, Azerbaijan declared its independence. The Republic of Azerbaijan, as the successor of the People's Republic, took possession of its state symbols, including the State Flag.

The great leader Heydar Aliyev characterized our State Flag and said: "The flag of Azerbaijan is not just a flag. It is a symbol of our statehood and independence. This is a symbol of our independent state. Therefore, every citizen of Azerbaijan, especially the young generation, should understand and appreciate this."

The flag is an expression of the honor and dignity of our nation and state. In the national thinking of the Azerbaijani people, a special attitude towards the flag has been evident throughout history, and the flag is considered a symbol of the national existence of our people. Today, every Azerbaijani treats the State Flag with great respect and reverence.

President Ilham Aliyev always values state symbols. Emphasizing that our tricolor flag is a symbol of independent Azerbaijan and a source of pride for our people, the head of state says: "Our flag is a source of pride for us. Our flag is our soul, our heart."

The National Flag is hoisted over the buildings of the state institutions and diplomatic missions of our republic, it embodies the national unity by being hoisted at important international events, prestigious ceremonies and assemblies, as well as at large-scale social and political gatherings, cultural events and sports competitions.

Today, the State Flag of Azerbaijan flies proudly throughout the territory of our country. In 2020, under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Muzaffar, President Ilham Aliyev, the glorious Azerbaijan Army rescued our occupied lands from enemy occupation and restored our territorial integrity. The Azerbaijani soldier raised our flag in the cities of Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Gubadli, Shusha, Hadrut, Minjivan, Aghband settlements, Sugovushan, and more than 200 villages freed from occupation. The biggest news about the National Flag Day was given in 2020. President Ilham Aliyev announced to our people that our tricolor flag was raised in Shusha on November 8, 2020 - on the eve of National Flag Day. After that, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets with the Azerbaijani flag in their hands and shared the joy of Shusha's victory. The liberation of Shusha after 28 years from the enemy's hands coincided with the Flag Day. November 8, 2020, when our flag was planted in Shusha, will be forever engraved in the history of Azerbaijan. President of Azerbaijan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev wrote this glorious page in our history.

It should be noted that the author of the formula "Turkism, Islamism and modernity" expressed by the three colors of the State Flag of independent Azerbaijan and constituting the three basic principles of our national independence ideology at the beginning of the 20th century, is Ali Bey Huseynzade, a prominent Azerbaijani thinker.