The People’s Republic of Azerbaijan – the first parliamentary republic in the East of Muslim, the first democratic, legal and secular state in the Turkic and Islamic world was established 96 years ago on May 28, 1918. Despite a 23-month existence, the People’s Republic of Azerbaijan (PRA), the successor of the independent Republic of Azerbaijan, left a very deep vestige in the history of the national statehood.

Set up under very tensioned and complicated conditions, the state of Azerbaijan was the first independent democratic republic in the East and de facto recognized by the world’s influential states. Establishment of PRA brought once again a joy of independence to our nation and increased their will of national fight.

The era of PRA that covers a very important phase in the Azerbaijani history is characterized with a number of reforms carried out in different spheres in the East. PRA, which granted a franchise to women for the first time in the East, entitled equal rights to all citizens irrespective of nationality, religion, social status and gender, adopted the national symbols – flag, emblem and anthem, took important steps in the sphere of construction of state and army, economy, culture, education and public health, left rich experience for the formation of an independent state of Azerbaijan. As the first parliament in the East the parliament of PRA comprised representatives of various nations, which proved how democratic the state was.

Adoption of our 3-color national flag, anthem, declaring Azerbaijani-Turkic language an official language, nationalization of schools, founding the Baku State University, restoration of historical names, creation of the first national museum “Istiglal”, formation of Azerbaijan’s national army and navy and implementation of other works laid the basis of the national statehood, which has come to this day and been improved.

National leader Heydar Aliyev, who restored our independence, continued these traditions and endowed us with the independent and world-known Republic of Azerbaijan, the successor of PRA.

Laman Khalilova,
"Azerbaijan Realities".