Azerbaijan and the strength of restored sovereignty Path to justice, unity, and national pride

On September 19, 2024, the public learned of President Ilham Aliyev’s decree officially designating 20 September as Azerbaijan’s State Sovereignty Day. Today, following the historic events of September 19 — when the anti-terrorist operation successfully restored sovereignty across the country — we celebrate this day with pride and joy.

It is no coincidence that, in his decree declaring 2025 as the “Year of the Constitution and Sovereignty,” the president highlighted the full restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty as one of the nation’s constitutional achievements. On September 20, 2024, during the reopening of Karabakh University after its reconstruction, the president remarked, “ We are celebrating this day together in Khankendi,” expressing confidence that the significance of the day would now be widely recognised and commemorated across Azerbaijan.

For more than 30 years, we longed for precisely this — full territorial integrity and sovereignty. Azerbaijan advanced steadily, building on the foundation laid by National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The country grew stronger, reaching new geopolitical heights. Yet, let us be honest: we could not fully breathe until now. Still, we hoped, we believed, and together we drew closer to the day when Light would finally dispel Darkness. Once and for all.

The first step toward this historic moment came in 2020, followed by the decisive second in 2023, when the courageous Azerbaijani army shattered the so-called “impassable” lines and fortifications built by the occupiers. They were destroyed in an instant, leaving an indelible mark in the annals of global military history.

Yes, along this path, the soldiers and officers of our unyielding army gave their lives for the Fatherland. May Allah have mercy on all our martyrs. Yet, as President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly emphasised, their sacrifice was not left unavenged. Today, our servicemen guard the country’s borders with unwavering dedication, protecting the nation as if it were the apple of their eye.

Sovereignty… What a vast and profound concept, granting the freedom to feel truly independent and to build a society rooted in the national and spiritual values passed down through generations. Wherever you go in the country, you sense the deep roots of our people — in the melodies of folk music, in the verses of poetry memorised since childhood — these traditions become part of our very DNA, carried forward from generation to generation.

Yet it was precisely this course of events that our adversaries sought to prevent. They placed countless obstacles in our path, committed numerous misdeeds, and caused significant harm by shielding the aggressor. Too often, this took the form of overt and provocative patronage, pressuring the Azerbaijani people to accept a status quo without territorial integrity or full sovereignty.

And how thoroughly they miscalculated — perhaps never fully comprehending the source of their eventual defeat. They may simply have underestimated the inner strength of the Azerbaijani people, regardless of national or religious identity. They could not accept the unity of the people and the state. At the same time, they overlooked the heroic spirit of our nation — the same spirit that allowed us to defeat the enemy on the battlefield without violating any written or unwritten rules of wartime conduct.

We often hear that Azerbaijan has been fortunate in its geographic location and natural resources. Who could doubt it — our country’s expanse is considerable, and the “black-blue gold” of our land gives our resources their remarkable value. Yet let us be honest: are there not countless examples of states blessed with unique geography, far richer in natural resources than Azerbaijan, and boasting excellent demographic indicators, that still ended up among the defeated? Clearly, success depends on far more than these conditions alone.

Spirit… Soul… Heart… Roots… Genes… Faith… Patriotism… This is what drives the victors. When a nation relies not on external support but solely on the vast potential of its rich inner world. When the desire to restore territorial integrity and sovereignty lives within you. And here, no unnecessary words, gestures, or pomp are needed — because you yearn to restore your body, to make it function freely, with your chest wide open!

Is it achievable? Yes. And the example is the people of Azerbaijan. They did not break. They endured. They closed ranks in a single formation — young and old, men and women, boys and girls. And here is the result: the body rejuvenated. It blossomed. It began to shine in bright, vivid colours. The body sings. Because this is the body of a victorious nation — a nation that achieved the fulfilment of its dream through righteous means, proving that historical justice can become real through adherence to all norms and principles of international law, and not at someone else’s expense.

And so, 20 September is a landmark day not only for the Azerbaijani people, but also for those who wish to break free from the chains of neocolonialism or other injustices imposed on their states and citizens. Azerbaijan extends a helping hand to all who seek it — as, for example, some small island nations have already experienced firsthand.

Independence… Sovereignty… These are the realities of our present day. They bring peace. Stability. And confidence in tomorrow. At the same time, they reveal in vivid colours the creative potential of the people — who build, create, and innovate. And, most importantly, who move forward regardless of any obstacles, while gladly helping others along the way.

Azerbaijan will never deviate from this path!