Today is the national holiday of Azerbaijan - Independence Day.

Axar.az reports that on May 28, 1918, 107 years have passed since the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East.

As a result of the February Revolution in Russia in 1917, the Tsarist Empire was overthrown. A national movement of the people oppressed by tsarism began in the country. On May 28, 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920) - the first secular democratic state in the Muslim East - was established. This republic left its mark in the historical memory of Azerbaijanis as the first experience of Azerbaijani statehood.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, founded by Mahammad Amin Rasulzadeh, was the first parliamentary republic in the Turkic and Islamic world and the first example of a democratic, legal, and secular state.

The first head of the provisional government of Azerbaijan was Fatali Khan Khoyski. After working in Tbilisi for 10 days, the National Council was moved to Ganja. Only in September 1918, after Baku was cleared of Dashnak-Russian forces under the leadership of the Turkish army, did the national government moved from Ganja to Baku.

The independent Azerbaijan Republic has achieved great achievements and victories in its short life. The republic, which for the first time recognized the right to vote for women and ensured equality between men and women, as well as the national army, national currency, democratization, national bank, free elections, international relations and the formal recognition of Azerbaijan's independence by the international community, ensuring the integrity of Azerbaijan, economic reform, etc., ensured the independent Azerbaijan Republic.

The first state to officially recognize the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was the Ottoman state (on June 4, 1918).

On November 9, 1918, based on M.A. Rasulzade's proposal, the three-color flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was adopted. Until then, the flag was red.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic could function for only 23 months in tense and complex socio-political conditions. Unfortunately, the independent Azerbaijan Republic was attacked by the Bolsheviks before it was even two years old and was temporarily overthrown. The Soviet Union forcibly incorporated Azerbaijan into its composition. Despite being overthrown by the Bolsheviks, the idea of ​​independence was not defeated, and with the collapse of the Soviet Empire in 1991, Azerbaijan declared its independence again.