Today marks day of Azerbaijani alphabet and Azerbaijani language

Today, Azerbaijan celebrates the Day of the Azerbaijani Alphabet and Azerbaijani Language.

According to Report, this commemorative date was established by a decree of the national leader Heydar Aliyev on August 9, 2001.

The great leader signed this decree considering that, as of August 2001, the country had fully transitioned to the Azerbaijani alphabet based on the Latin script, which became a significant event in the socio-political and cultural life of Azerbaijan.

From January 1, 1929, the Latin-based alphabet was used in Azerbaijan, and on January 1, 1940, a decision was made to switch to the Cyrillic alphabet. The initiative to return to the Latin script was put forward in the 1990s.

On August 1, 1990, the Alphabet Commission was established. The new alphabet was approved and began to be used in 1992. On August 9, 2001, President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev, signed a decree declaring August 1 as the Day of the Azerbaijani Alphabet and Azerbaijani Language. Language is not only a means of communication but also history, literature, and culture. Every Azerbaijani, regardless of the country of residence, should remember and promote their native language, religion, national customs, and traditions. Special importance is also given to implementing measures to ensure wider use of the Azerbaijani language in the digital space.

The decree of President Ilham Aliyev dated July 17, 2018, “On a Number of Measures to Ensure Wider Use of the Azerbaijani Language in the Electronic Space” plays a special role in further expanding the scope of the Azerbaijani language.