World Azerbaijanis celebrate Solidarity Day

Azerbaijanis around the world celebrate 31st of December, which marks the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day.About 50 million Azerbaijanis currently live in other countries, including Iran, Turkey, Germany, France, UK, and the United States.The biggest Azerbaijani diaspora, numbering 1.5 to 2 million people, is in Russia. Then goes Turkey, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Germany.Azerbaijani people have not experienced an easy historical destiny, and luck has not always been on their side.The beginning of the 20th century was marked by mass emigration of Azerbaijanis. Many of them left their homeland after the fall of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1920 and the subsequent repression against opponents of the Soviet regime. Azerbaijanis, who opposed the Shah's regime in Iran also became immigrants.The period after World War II marked by a new stage in the history of Azerbaijani Diaspora. Many Azerbaijanis, who were taken prisoner during the war, remained in different European countries after the war for various reasons.The history of the World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day goes back to the late 20th century, when the first ever World Congress of Azerbaijanis opened in Istanbul. This event served as one of the reasons to declare December 31 World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day.The date for this holiday was chosen as the symbol of national unity not by accident. Azerbaijanis on both sides of the Araz River, separated by nearly two centuries, broke through the fences of Soviet-Iranian border exactly this day in 1989. North and South of Azerbaijan even for a moment, but still joined. However, this unity was interrupted by the punitive actions of the Soviet and Iranian troops.World Azerbaijanis Day of Solidarity first was announced by national leader Heydar Aliyev on December 16, 1991, when he was Chairman of the Supreme Majlis (Parliament) of Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic. After announcement this day became a national holiday of the Azerbaijani people.This day becomes increasingly important over the time, because every year, each Azerbaijani feels the need for unification of compatriots, regardless of whether they live in homeland or abroad.(Azernews)ANN.Az