Azerbaijan's Republic Day celebrated in Canada
By Nazrin Gadimova
The Canadian city of London celebrated Azerbaijan's
Republic Day, held annually on May 28.
Organized by the Canadian Society of Azerbaijani Turks (CSAT) and
supported by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Canada, the event brought
together Minister of State for Science and Technology of London Ed
Holder, members of the Canadian Parliament and Parliament of
Ontario, and representatives of London City Council.
Addressing the event, President of the CSAT Kamala Shiriyeva stressed its importance and provided an insight into the organization's activities.
Head of Youth Department at the Association Sabina Azizli, in turn, made a presentation on the history of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR).
The historical significance of the ADR, Azerbaijan's development after regaining independence, and its achievements over the past 10 years were discussed at the event.
Azerbaijan's contributions to the Europe's energy security, its role in the fight against terrorism, and the prospects for Azerbaijani-Canadian relations were emphasized.
The event featured a concert of Azerbaijani music and dance afterwards.
May 28, 1918, marks the establishment of the ADR, the first independent republic and democratic state on the East. Although it existed for only 23 months, it brought about great progress in foreign policy, and introduced Azerbaijan to the international community.
To appreciate the historical significance of this event not only for Azerbaijan, but also for the entire Islamic world, it is enough to recall that at that time there were only seven independent Muslim states in the world - Turkey, Persia, Afghanistan, Emirate of Bukhara, and three small monarchies of Inner Arabia.
Azerbaijan, which gained its independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, celebrates May 28 annually as the Republic Day.