Azerbaijan National Holidays
Princesa Landes
Azerbaijan is the only Muslim country in the South Caucasus, and consequentially its culture and customs vary widely from Christian Georgia and Armenia. This difference is also visible in their respective festivities and public holidays. In Azerbaijan, for example, Muslims celebrate both Ramadan and Novruz, but not Christmas or Easter. Most celebrations in Azerbaijan are loud, colorful and cheerful, yet there are also somber observances that recall the deep scars left on the country during the 20th century.
Gurban Bayrami (Feast of Sacrifice), also known as Eid al-Adha or Eid Qurban, is an Islamic holiday which honors the readiness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. Traditionally, Gurban Bayrami lasts for three consecutive days. In Azerbaijan, two of those three days are state holidays. Celebrations center around the sacrifice of an animal, typically a sheep, whose meat is then divided into three parts and shared with family, the poor and friends. Read more...
Independence Day in Azerbaijan, also known as State Sovereignty Day, is celebrated annually on October 18. It is counted among the most important national holidays in the country, for on this day in 1991, the government adopted the Declaration of Independence of Azerbaijan as the bedrock of the newly established nation. Independence Day is now a working holiday in Azerbaijan. Read more...
During the course of its history, Azerbaijan has had four constitutions whose origins date back to Soviet times. Since November 12, 1995, Constitution Day in Azerbaijan has been observed annually in honor of the document which laid the foundation for statehood in the newly formed republic. Observed as a public holiday until 2006, Constitution Day in Azerbaijan is now a working holiday that continues to hold great national significance for the people of Azerbaijan. Read more...
There are several public holidays in Azerbaijan. Public holidays were regulated in the constitution of the Azerbaijan SSR for the first time on 19 May 1921. They are now regulated by the Constitution of Azerbaijan.[1]
7. In case holidays and days off follow each other or vice versa, the following working days or days off can be changed on the basis of the decision of relevant executive authorities in order to ensure the succession of working days and days off.
For many centuries Novruz has been celebrated as a national holiday with various festivals and ceremonies in every part of Azerbaijan. The preservation of the ancient traditions of this holiday, which is a vivid expression of eternal love of rich spiritual heritage and nature with all its colorfulness, is the manifestation of high respect of the Azerbaijani people for their historical and cultural past and deep commitment to their national and spiritual values. Although Novruz is a holiday of many Oriental peoples, it is celebrated more extensively in Azerbaijan.
In a short period of time, the first parliament and government of Azerbaijan were established, state attributes were put in place, borders were defined, important measures were taken in the field of state building, recognition of the Republic as a subject of international relations and protection of its national interests.
The laws adopted by the new parliament have played the key role in strengthening national independence, ensuring political, economic and cultural development of the country, and establishing democratic principles. At the time, democratic institutions were established, great work was done in army building, and women were granted the right to vote for the first time in the Muslim East.
The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, which existed for only 23 months, left a significant mark on the formation of democratic traditions and the history of national statehood, and laid a solid foundation for the future independence of the Republic by strengthening the sentiments of freedom and independence.
Heydar Aliyev pursued a consistent and purposeful policy to transform Azerbaijan into a reliable partner in the system of international relations, raising the world community`s awareness of the material, spiritual and intellectual values of the country, secure the interests of the Azerbaijani state both in the region and in the world by taking into account the key aspects of national security and development.
The 1993-2003 time period, when Heydar Aliyev was in power and was elevated to the status of national leader for his unparalleled services to the Azerbaijani people and state, marked a historic stage when Azerbaijan emerged as a state, formed and transformed into a full-fledged subject of the international community. These 10 years saw the implementation of the national development strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the people of Azerbaijan benefited from a rare historic opportunity and made their independence everlasting and irreversible at the cost of great suffering.
Although the ministry of defense was established in Azerbaijan after the country restored its independence in 1991, it failed to properly fulfill its functions and protect people`s interests until national leader Heydar Aliyev returned to power in 1993. This marked a new era in the history of the Azerbaijani armed forces. Officers who graduated from the Jamshid Nakchivanski Military Lyceum, which was established by national leader Heydar Aliyev in 1971, were engaged in army building. Higher military schools were reorganized and new ones were established.
National leader Heydar Aliyev always attached great importance to the glorious history of the army of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. On 22 May 1998, the national leader signed an Order proclaiming 26 June, the day when the Special Army Corps of Azerbaijan was established, as the Day of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan.
The national flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was adopted on 9 November 1918 and kept the status of a national flag until 27 April 1920, when Azerbaijan was occupied and lost its independence.
The First Congress of World Azerbaijanis was held at the initiative of national leader Heydar Aliyev in 2001. In 2002, under an Order of Heydar Aliyev, the State Committee on Work with the Azerbaijanis Living Abroad (currently the State Committee for Diaspora Work) was established. The number of Azerbaijani diaspora organizations worldwide increased from 200 in 2002 to nearly 500 now.
This holiday is celebrated in Azerbaijan as a triumph of national and spiritual solidarity, benevolent deeds, compassion and mercy. In all parts of the country, sacrifices are made in the name of Allah, prayers are made for the progress and prosperity of the state, tributes are paid to the martyrs who gave their lives for the independence and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, large-scale charity work is carried out.
Promoting humanity and universal ideas, Islam is an essential part of world civilization and has played an exceptional role in shaping the worldview of our people and in their national and moral development of our people. The people of Azerbaijan have always had great respect for Islamic values and traditions.
There are a number of holidays which are celebrated in Azerbaijan. Gurban and Ramazan are religious holidays which have not a fixed date of celebration. Gurban is the Muslim Festival of Sacrifices. It is celebrated 70 days after Orujlug (fasting). The main feature of Gurban is killing of an animal, mostly a sheep as a sacrifice. Every Muslim family must have meat dish on that day.
Republic Day (28 May). The Day of National Salvation of Azerbaijani People (15 June), State Independence Day (18 October), Constitution Day (12 November), New Year (1 January), Novruz (20- 21 March) and others are also celebrated in Azerbaijan as holidays.
The 31st of December is one of the great holidays in Azerbaijan. It is the day of the unity of Azerbaijani people. On the 31st of December peoples also see the Old Year in. As a rule they wait impatiently to see the New Year in and count up the last few hours of the Old Year. This year we celebrated both the Unity of Azerbaijani people and the coming of the New Year. There were a lot of guests from different countries who came to celebrate the unity of Azerbaijani people. Our leaders welcomed them to the capital of our Republic. There was also a great concert over TV.
The 8th of March is the international day of solidarity of women in the struggle for the equality of rights. First it was marked in 1911 in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark. And in Azerbaijan, it was first celebrated in 1917.
Only the holidays of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha are non-working religious days in Azerbaijan. This is because the country is highly secular and irreligious.[9][10] The religious population mainly in Nardaran and a number of other villages and regions celebrate the Day of Ashura.[11] Religious minorities like Orthodox Christians and Jews also celebrate notable religious days of their faith.[12] Despite the fact that the holiday Novruz takes its roots from the religion of Zoroastrianism, almost all Azerbaijanis celebrates it as a holiday of spring.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: tensions existed for years over the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh region and the Armenian military occupation of surrounding lands in Azerbaijan; Azerbaijan seized part of the enclave during six weeks of fighting in 2020 and the remainder in a short conflict in September 2023; in October 2023, Baku and Yerevan began preliminary discussions on a peace treaty, the demarcation of borders, and full normalization of relations; nevertheless, concerns persist in Armenia that Azerbaijan could invade in order to force the establishment of a transit corridor to the exclave of Naxicvan (Nakhichevan)
Azerbaijan-Georgia: a joint boundary commission agrees on most of the alignment, leaving only small areas at certain crossing points in dispute; consequently, the two states have yet to agree on a delimitation or demarcation of their common boundary; one area of contention is where the international boundary should run through the 6th-13th Century David-Gareja monastery complex
Azerbaijan-Iran: in recent years, tensions between Azerbajian and Iran have risen in part because of warming ties between Azerbaijan and Israel, and Baku's claims that Tehran has backed Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh enclave
Azerbaijan-Russia: Russia has complained of cross-border smuggling
Azerbaijan-Turkey: none identified; as of 2023, Turkey and Armenia were discussing normalizing relations
Caspian Sea (Maritime Boundary): Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia ratified the Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on a one-fifth slice of the sea; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian
local border forces struggle to control the illegal transit of goods and people across the porous, undemarcated Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian borders