Azerbaijan marks Independence Day on May 28

Today, on May 28, Azerbaijan celebrates Independence Day.

On this day in 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was established.

The ADR became the first democratic and parliamentary republic in the entire East. It adopted state symbols – a flag, an emblem, and a national anthem. Its tricolour flag harmoniously reflected Turkism, Islam, and European values.

However, the ADR existed for only 23 months. On April 28, 1920, the 11th Red Army of Soviet Russia occupied Baku, and the republic fell.

Since 1990, May 28 has been annually marked in Azerbaijan as Republic Day. In October 2021, the Milli Majlis (parliament) proposed to officially designate May 28 as Independence Day, while October 18 would be observed as the Day of Restoration of Independence.