December 31 – World Azerbaijanis’ Solidarity Day is a day when the slogan of unity of millions of Azerbaijanis, living in different points of the world with love for motherland, is symbolically realized. Such a day emerged out of necessity, as a result of solidarity. Destruction of frontier posts between South and North Azerbaijan in Nakhchyvan in late December 1989, gathering of people from both sides on the bank of Araz River under the slogan of unity despite severe pressures from two totalitarian states (USSR and Iran) once again proved that our compatriots in the north and south are the one nation. In the meantime, conference of Turkic speaking nations held in Istanbul adopted a decision on marking that day, arisen out of necessity and moral need, as the day of solidarity of world Azerbaijanis. On December 16, 1991, declaring December 31 the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day, taking the importance of creating the unity of world Azerbaijanis into consideration, Chairman of Supreme Assembly of the Autonomous Republic of Nakhchyvan, national leader Heydar Aliyev accomplished the legal and political confirmation of solidarity. Thus, December 31 – World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day went down in the glorious statehood history of Azerbaijan as an annually celebrated holiday. This historical event stimulated the formation of national organization, self-knowledge of tens of millions of Azerbaijanis living abroad, their organization around the independent state of Azerbaijan, their moral and political unity. Our day of unity, which is celebrated solemnly after state independence of Azerbaijan was restored, was changed for short time into the style of national mentality and became the day of national pride, moral support and hope for our compatriots living all around the world. Great leader Heydar Aliyev’s putting in the forefront the historical ideology of Azerbaijanism, which is the backbone of Azerbaijani statehood and plays an important role in the organization of our diaspora and strengthening of their national solidarity, was one of the most important factors bringing world Azerbaijanis together, reinforcing their solidarity.

Today, the guarantor to national unity and progress of world Azerbaijanis is the Republic of Azerbaijan. Every Azerbaijan should feel pride for national identity, for rich and ancient history, for state reflecting the century-old common cultural and moral synthesis mission. Millions of Azerbaijanis living across the world should come together around the ideology of Azerbaijanism and try for firmer solidarity, further strengthen the strong and developed statehood of Azerbaijan. This should be a goal, a philosophy of life to us.