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AzerNEWS Staff

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On August 1, Azerbaijan celebrates the Day of Azerbaijani Alphabet and Language.

This significant occasion was established by a decree signed by National Leader Heydar Aliyev on August 9, 2001. The choice of August 1 was not accidental, as the Azerbaijan Alphabet Commission was established on this date in 1990.

Heydar Aliyev made significant contributions to protecting the Azerbaijani language. Back in 1977, when the USSR was adopting a new constitution, he strongly opposed the absence of a clause on state language and stood firm on the issue.

Thanks to his efforts, on April 2, 1978, during a session of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR, Article 73 of the republic’s constitution was amended to recognize Azerbaijani as the official state language. This was a historic achievement and a key step in preserving the country’s linguistic and cultural identity.

Over the years, additional presidential decrees have strengthened the use of the language in education, publishing, science, and public life. These include initiatives supporting large-scale publication of books in the Latin alphabet, the publication of the Azerbaijan National Encyclopedia, and the translation of works by leading figures of world literature into Azerbaijani.

President Ilham Aliyev continues this mission with determination. His 2004 decrees on publishing in Latin script and releasing the Azerbaijani National Encyclopedia, as well as a 2007 order on translating key global literary works into Azerbaijani, have all played a vital role in promoting the language in every area of society.

In an interview with local television channels in January this year, President Ilham Aliyev emphasized that preserving the native language is a shared responsibility.

"This is a great achievement. I do believe that the greatness of our people lies in the fact that we have not been influenced by other languages," the head of state noted.

He also added that while globalization inevitably introduces foreign words through the internet, media, and international contacts, Azerbaijan must ensure that its own language retains its richness and integrity.

Speaking at the conference marking the 80th anniversary of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, President Ilham Aliyev said the state, along with scholars, linguists, writers, poets, journalists, and public figures, should give the issue the highest priority.

This year also holds special significance for Azerbaijan as the country commemorates the 100th anniversary of the First Turkological Congress, held in Baku in 1926. The congress brought together prominent scholars from across the Turkic world and became a landmark event in discussions on alphabet reform, the transition to the Latin script, and the development of Turkic languages.

In recent years, efforts have been made to ensure the wider use of the Azerbaijani language in the digital space. President Ilham Aliyev's decree on July 17, 2018, titled "On a number of measures to ensure the wider use of the Azerbaijani language in the electronic space," plays a crucial role in further expanding the application of the Azerbaijani language in the digital realm.

The protection of the Azerbaijani language is, in essence, the protection of national identity itself. A nation that values and preserves its language also preserves its history, literature, traditions, and spiritual heritage. For this reason, the consistent measures taken in Azerbaijan in support of the mother tongue reflect not only respect for the past, but also responsibility for the future.