National flag: Symbol of Azerbaijani statehood
By Aynur Jafarova
The most appreciated symbol of an independent state is the national flag. The national flag is the emblem of freedom which symbolizes patriotism, people's love for the country and sense of statehood. It is an attribute, a state symbol which is taken to the forefront during wars, proudly raised by its citizens and laid on the graves of martyrs.
The national flag of Azerbaijan symbolizes the aspirations and sentiments of the Azerbaijani people in their continuous struggle for independence. It is the symbol of sovereignty that stands as a manifestation of unity of the Azerbaijani people.
The tricolor flag of Azerbaijan witnessed the magnificent events of our history.
On October 18, 1991, the Constitutional Act on independence was adopted and a tricolor flag that existed in the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first-ever democratic republic in the Orient, again began waving as the national flag of the independent Azerbaijan Republic.
The national flag of Azerbaijan consists of three equal wide horizontal stripes. The upper stripe is blue, the middle stripe is red and the lower stripe is of green color. An eight-pointed star and a crescent of white color is in the middle of the red stripe.
Each color has its own meaning. The blue color means Turkic origin of Azerbaijani people and Turkic heritage and it is connected with the idea of Turkism. The red color means building a modern society, developing democracy, modernization and development. The green color expresses affiliation to the Islamic civilization and the Islamic religion.
The crescent on the flag is the symbol of the Turkic people. The meaning of the eight-pointed star is related to the way of writing the word "Azerbaijan" in the old alphabet, which was written with eight letters. Another meaning of the eight-pointed star is connected with the principles of Mammad Amin Rasulzade, who was the founder of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic: turkism, islamism, modernity, statehood, democracy, Azerbaijanism, equality and culture.
One of the tallest flags of the world is an Azerbaijani flag waving in the National Flag Square in the capital Baku. The National Flag Museum was established under the flag pillar in the form of an eight-pointed star.
Opening of the museum took place on November 9, 2010 on National Flag Day. This date is connected with the first flag approved on November 9, 1918 by the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
The National Flag Museum was built and designed by Azerbaijani architects and designers with the use of modern technologies.
President Ilham Aliyev wrote in a memoir book that the Azerbaijani flag is the symbol of our independence and that it will wave in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan -- which is currently under Armenian occupation.
Information is available at the museum about the flags, symbols, state emblems, banknotes of states that existed in the territory of Azerbaijan from the ancient times till the independence. The flags of independent khanates, including the restored flag of the Irevan khanate, are also among the exhibits.
Elements of Azerbaijani ancient flags of the XVII-XVIII centuries, the flags of the Safavid state and the battle flags of Shah Ismail Khatai are kept at this museum.
National emblems, brochures of the Constitutions of the Azerbaijan Republic adopted in different years are displayed on the exhibition stands.
A great emphasis was placed on the military history of Azerbaijan. A shield of the XVIII century, iron armour and a helmet dating back to XV-XVI centuries, and a sledge-hammer of Karabakh Khan Ibrahimkhalil demonstrate the glorious military history of Azerbaijan.
Postal stamps, banknotes, orders and medals of Azerbaijan are exhibited in the museum as well. The state flags honored by the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev and President Ilham Aliyev at the inauguration ceremony after being elected, the flag of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, battle flags of military forces and ceremonial clothes are among the exhibits.
A certificate of the Guinness Book of Records affirming the pillar of Azerbaijan's national flag as the highest in the world, various books,and the flag which waved at the building of the Embassy of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in Turkey in 1918-1920 are also exhibited at the National Flag Museum.
There is also a multimedia system and an e-library in the National Flag Museum.
Each page of Azerbaijani history is abundant of various events. We are the current witnesses of history and it is our obligation to cherish it and pass it on to future generations. The National Flag Museum, which protects the statehood history and traditions of Azerbaijan, contributes to fulfilling this duty.