Azerbaijan celebrates National Revival Day on November 17

Today, on November 17, Azerbaijan is celebrating the National Revival Day.

In 1988, Armenia started its evident aggression against Azerbaijan. Seeing the head of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev's indifferent attitude towards these events, the Armenians started mass deportation of the Azerbaijanis from their native lands in Armenia under the instructions of the Armenian government.

More than 200,000 Azerbaijanis were deported from their homes, killed by the Armenians.

In February 1988, Armenians carried out revolts in Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and even raised the issue of joining those lands with Armenia.

Azerbaijani people expressed protest to the government. People from every corner of the republic moved to Baku and gathered on Azadlig Square (Lenin Square at that time), held meetings and evidently expressed their protest.

Azerbaijani people started indefinite rally on Azadlig Square against the anti-Azerbaijani policy of the USSR on November 17, 1988. It was a real national liberation movement. The Soviet troops dispersed the nationwide rally in early December. These events are regarded in Azerbaijan as the start of the national liberation movement and the main factor in gaining independence.

November 17 has been marked as the Day of National Revival since 1992.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has shared a post on his official social network accounts on the occasion of 17 November.

"17 November - National Revival Day," the post reads.

First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva also shared a post on her official social media page on the occasion of National Revival Day.