Public holidays in Azerbaijan

Holiday in Azeri village, 1930s. Work by Azim Azimzade

Holidays in Azerbaijan were regulated in the Constitution of Azerbaijan SSR for the first time on 19 May 1921 by the Azeri leader Nariman Narimanov.[1] Through the history non-working days have changed.

Holidays

Non-working days

Public holidays in Azerbaijan include the following:

Date English Name Local Name Remarks
January 1–2 New Year's Day Yeni il 2 days
January 20 Martyrs' Day Qara Yanvar Commemorates Black January (1990) when Soviet troops entered Baku and killed more than 130 civilians. Also victims of the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988) are remembered.[2]
March 8 International Women's DayQadınlar günü 1 day
March 20–26 Spring FestivalNovruz5 days plus two weekends (beginning in 2011)
May 9Victory DayFaşizm üzərində qələbə günü In honor of victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany during WWII.
May 28Republic DayRespublika günü Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan (1918).
June 15 National Salvation DayAzərbaycan xalqının Milli Qurtuluş günü Parliament invited Heydar Aliyev to Baku to lead the country (1993).
June 26Azerbaijan Armed Forces Day Azərbaycan Respublikasının Silahlı Qüvvələri günü
November 9 Flag Day Dövlət Bayrağı Günü Commemorates the adoption of the Flag of Azerbaijan on November 9, 1918,[3] which was officially established on November 9, 2009, as the State Flag Day.[4]
December 31 International Solidarity Day of AzerbaijanisDünya azərbaycanlıların həmrəyliyi günü Inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall, the nationalist Popular Front of Azerbaijan called for and lead the removal of borders between Soviet Azerbaijan and Iran on December 31, 1989. This has since been celebrated by Azeris around the world as the International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis.[5]
Changes due to the Islamic lunar calendar Ramazan Bayramı Ramazan Bayramı 2 days
Changes due to the Islamic lunar calendar Gurban Bayramı Qurban Bayramı 2 days

Other observances

National days in Azerbaijan that are working days follows:

Religious days

Only the holidays of Ramadan and Qurban remains as non-working religious days in Azerbaijan as the country is highly secular and irreligious.[9][10] The religious population of the country, mainly in Nardaran and number of other villages, regions do celebrate the Day of Ashura, a Shia mourning day in the Islamic calendar. Religious minorities of the country – mainly Orthodox Christians and Jews do also celebrate the notable religious days of their faith.[11] Despite of the holiday Novruz takes its roots from the religion of Zoroastranism, almost all Azerbaijanians celebrates it as a holiday of spring.

Criticism

Opposition to the government of the former president of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and his successors are critical of the Flower Festival commemorating Aliyev's birthday and of National Salvation Day, which they see as marking the seizure of power of a fraudulently elected despot.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Constitution of Republic of Azerbaijan
  2. ↑ Esslemont, Tom (20 January 2010). "BBC News – Azerbaijan remembers Martyrs' Day". BBC Online. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  3. ↑ "Azerbaijan marks National Flag Day". Today.az. November 9, 2012. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Azerbaijan sets National Flag Day". Today.az. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
  5. ↑ Breaking Down The Azerbaijani-Iranian Border Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
  6. ↑ 2 February-Youth Day in Azerbaijan
  7. ↑ http://www.news.az/articles/society/82741 Azerbaijan marks Oil Workers’ Day
  8. ↑ http://www.azerbaijans.com/content_572_en.html Office of Public Prosecutor of the Republic of Azerbaijan
  9. ↑ South Travels – Azerbaijan
  10. ↑ GALLUP WorldView – data accessed on 17 january 2009
  11. ↑ Azerbaijan's Udin ethnic minority celebrates Easter.
  12. ↑ National Salvation Day? – Azeri report.

External links

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