National symbols of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Under the article 23 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the state symbols of the Republic of Azerbaijan are the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The design of the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the music and the text of State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan are defined by the Constitutional Law.
Under the article 75 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, every citizen must respect state symbols of the Republic of Azerbaijan - its flag, emblem and anthem. Expression of disrespect to the state symbols shall entail liability as prescribed by law.
The National Flag
The National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan is a symbol of the sovereignty of the Azerbaijan state.
The tricolor flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was first adopted at a government meeting on 9 November 1918 in Baku and was raised over the building of the Council of Ministers of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (presently, office of "Azneft" Production Union of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan) where the meeting was held. The flag, which had a state status until 27 April 1920, the collapse of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, was lowered outside the building of the Azerbaijan’s Parliament on 3 May 1920, because of the occupation of Azerbaijan by the Soviet Russian troops.
Inherited from Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the flag was approved as the national flag of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic at the session held on 17 November 1990 on the initiative of chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, National Leader Heydar Aliyev. At the same time, the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic appealed to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR to recognize the three colored flag as an official state symbol of Azerbaijan. On 5 February 1991, the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan Republic considered that application, and decided to recognize the three colored flag as a national flag of Azerbaijan. Later the National Leader recalled: “I think that the decisions taken by the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic had a great impact on the work of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijani leadership was forced to adopt several of this kind of decisions. In the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic this flag flew on 17 November 1990, while in Azerbaijan Republic it flew on 5 February 1991.”
Under the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated 17 November 2009, November 9 each year marks the National Flag Day in the country.
Addressing the solemn opening ceremony of the National Flag Square in Baku on 1 September 2010, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev emphasized the importance of the national flag: "Our flag is our source of pride. Our flag is our soul, our heart. Today, the national flag is flying in all parts of Azerbaijan. After the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, our national flag will also be raised in the lands, which are still under occupation. Our flag will fly in Nagorno-Karabakh, Khankendi and Shusha. We must bring that day ever closer by our work every moment, and we do bring. Long live the Azerbaijani flag!" he said.
In April 2016, the glorious Azerbaijani Army, because of a successful counter-offensive military operation, raised the flag of Azerbaijan at the Lalatepe height. After that, Azerbaijan's national flag flew in Jojug Marjanli, where the people could safely live after it was retaken from Armenian occupation. Under the orders of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Jojug Marjanli was restored in a short time, and the return of internally displaced persons to their native lands was launched.
Highly appreciating the Azerbaijani Army's services in April victory in 2016, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said: "April battles should be put into military textbooks. From the viewpoint of both professionalism and patriotism, the April battles once again demonstrated that the people of Azerbaijan are heroic people ... April battles are our glorious military victory, the victory showing the strength of our state, our people, and our army. As a result of the April fights, the flag of Azerbaijan is flying today in the territories of Fuzuli, Jabrayil and Aghdara districts that are liberated from occupation. These battles show that the people and state of Azerbaijan will never reconcile with the occupation and restore the territorial integrity of the country at any cost ... We will return to the occupied lands. This is our main task. As today we see our flag lying in the lands that were liberated last year, the flag of Azerbaijan will also be raised in all other still occupied territories."
The President of Azerbaijan, Victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev hoisted our flag in the city of Shusha on 15 January 2021, and during the meeting with the military personnel said: “At the opening of the splendid National Flag Square in Baku, I expressed that a day would come when we raise our Azerbaijan’s flag in the then occupied territories, including Shusha. That day has come.
We arrived as victors and raised our flag. Azerbaijan’s flag is flying high across all the liberated lands.”
Speaking after raising the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the city of Khankendi on October 15, 2023, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said: “I proudly raised the Azerbaijani flag today, and I want to say again to my dear people that we deserve this, Victory. The people of Azerbaijan achieved this victory at the cost of their blood and lives. The Flag I raised here today will fly here forever and we will live here forever.”
Under the article 23 of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan consists of three horizontal stripes of the same width. The upper stripe is blue, the middle stripe is red, and the lower stripe is green, with a white crescent and eight-pointed star depicted in the middle of the red stripe on both sides of the flag. The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 1:2.
Under the law No1331-VKQ of 2 November 2018 “On the Approval of Description of the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan”
Under the article 1 of the Constitutional Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the ends of a crescent are directed to the star located to the right of it. Under the article 2 of the same law, in case of industrial production and printing of the color image of National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan the blue colour corresponds to Pantone 306C code of the Pantone colour chart, red color - to Pantone Red 032C, green color - to Pantone 362C.
The blue color of the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan has the meaning of Turkic origin of the Azerbaijani people, red color reflects the desire to establish a modern society, and develop democracy, while the green color - belonging to the Islamic civilization.
The State Emblem
The State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the symbol of independence of the Azerbaijani state.
The modern state emblem is a modified version of a draft coat of arm, which was created during the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
On 30 January 1920, the government of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic announced a competition on the best state emblem of Azerbaijan and decided that a sample of the emblem that wins the competition will be adopted on 28 May the same year. However, due to the collapse of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on 28 April 1920, it was impossible to adopt a decision relating to the State Emblem.
On 17 November 1990, the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, after having discussed the issue relating to the state emblem, appealed to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR on announcement of a new competition for the preparation of the state emblem of Azerbaijan. The competition was announced on 5 February 1991, under the decision No. 20-XII of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan Republic. On 19 January 1993, under the Constitutional Law, one of the draft coats of arm developed in 1919-1920, with certain changes, was adopted as the State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
The Constitutional Law No. 1332-VQK of the Republic of Azerbaijan on “Adoption of Description of State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan” was passed on 2 November 2018.
Under the article 1 of this Law, the State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan represents an image of oriental shield placed on the arch composed of oak branches and ears. On the shield, against the background of colors of the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan, there is an image of an eight-pointed star, and in the center of the star, there is an image of flame. In the colored description of the State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the star is white, the flame is red, the oak branches are green, the ears are yellow, and the rims of the shield and the star, as well as rivets (8 pieces) and oak galls (5 pieces) are golden.
Under the article 2 of this Law, in the preparation and printing of color images of the State Emblem of the Republic of Azerbaijan by industrial method, it must be ensured that the red color of the flame shall comply with Pantone 032C, the green of the oak branches shall comply with Pantone 7729C, the yellow of the ears shall comply with Pantone 7548C, and the golden of the rims of the shield and the star, as well as rivets and oak galls shall comply with Pantone111C color of the Pantone color book.
The State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Music by: Uzeyir Hajibayli
Lyrics by: Ahmad Javad
Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan!
You are the country of heroes!
We will die so that you might be alive!
We will shed our blood to defend you!
Long live your three-colored banner!
Thousands of people sacrificed their lives.
You're become the field of battles.
Every soldier fighting for you,
Has become a hero.
We pray for your prosperity,
We make sacrifice our lives to you.
Our sincere love to you,
Comes from the bottom of our hearts.
To defend your honor,
To hoist your banner,
All the young people are ready.
Glorious motherland,
Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan!
On 30 January 1920, the government of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic adopted a resolution on preparing the state anthem of the Republic. In this regard, the Ministry of Public Enlightenment announced a competition for the best state anthem. However, due to the fall of ADR on 28 April 1920, the state anthem of Azerbaijan was not adopted.
On 27 May 1992, the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan adopted the law "On the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan", which approved the "Azerbaijani march", composed by the great composer Uzeyir Hajibayli and written by poet Ahmad Javad, as the state anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Under the constitutional law of the Republic of Azerbaijan No 1333-VKQ of November 2, 2018 “On Approval of the Music and Text of the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan”, the “March of Azerbaijan”, with its music composed by Uzeyir Hajibeyli and lyrics written by Ahmad Javad, was endorsed as the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Under the article 6 of the Law 1512-VQ on “Regulations Governing the Use of the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan” dated February 19, 2019, the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan must be played in the following cases:
• At the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect of the Republic of Azerbaijan (after taking the oath),
• When the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan arrives in the sessions of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
• At the beginning and conclusion of regular and extraordinary sessions of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
• At the beginning and conclusion of regular and extraordinary sessions of the Supreme Assembly of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic,
• At the opening and closing ceremonies of solemn events and meetings dedicated to the holidays of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
• When there are important historical events for the state and people of Azerbaijan,
• At the opening of monuments or commemorative plaques of outstanding state, political, public, scientific, literary, artistic figures of Azerbaijan, heroes of the Patriotic War of the Republic of Azerbaijan and national heroes of Azerbaijan,
• At ceremonies and other solemn events organized by state bodies (institutions), local self-government bodies, political parties or non-governmental organizations (when hoisting or displaying the National Flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan),
• During the arrival and departure of heads of state and government of foreign countries coming to the Republic of Azerbaijan for an official meeting (after the State Anthem of the respective country is played).
The music (partitur) of the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan is to be performed in its entirety, by orchestra, choir or orchestra-choir, other vocal means and instruments, and audio devices.
During the performance of the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan must stand to attention and listen to the anthem to the end or sing along.
During the performance of the State Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, foreigners or stateless persons must stand to attention and listen to the anthem to the end.
Hailing the peculiarities of the anthem, National Leader Heydar Aliyev said: "We must love our state anthem and our flag as much as we love ourselves. Because it is a symbol of loyalty, love and affection to our homeland, our nation, and our state."
