97th Anniversary of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic

May was a great month for the people of Azerbaijan. Cenk Sayin from Turkish Society of Canada attended to the 97th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic to celebrate this great day with sisters and brothers.

On Sunday, May 24th, the Canadian-Azerbaijani community celebrated the 97th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), the first democratic republic established in the East and the Muslim world on May 28, 1918. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was founded on democratic values and achieved fundamental historical accomplishments. The ADR had a democratically elected Parliament as a supreme organ of the state authority and was the first in the Muslim world to extend suffrage to women, preceding the United Kingdom and the United States. Despite its short existence, ADR advocated for and promoted the concepts of the rule of law, equality, personal liberties, multiculturalism, and secularism.

The Celebration Of The 97th Anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was held on Sunday May 24, 2015 at 3pm at Toronto City Hall.

You can find Cenk Sayin’s  speech he made at the celebration on behalf of Turkish Society of Canada

“Dear Valuable Guests and Friends,

On behalf of the Turkish Society of Canada, I would like to celebrate the 97th anniversary of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was proclaimed for the first time on May 28th, 1918. It is one of the brightest pages in the history of the Azerbaijani people, which commemorates the country’s unification.

On this day in Azerbaijan, people decorated the cities with the national flag, hoping that it will always wave freely in a free and democratic Azerbaijan.

On the streets, Azeris enjoyed the day as they remember the past and look forward to building Azerbaijan into a democratic republic where they can enjoy their own choices in life.

Azerbaijan People’s Republic guaranteed rights and freedoms of all citizens, irrespective of their nationality and religion. For the first time in the Muslim world women had electoral rights and the Republic was recognized at the Versailles World Conference.

On this very important day I would like to commemorate great leader Mehmet Emin Resulzade with respect.

Here in Toronto as the members of the Turkish Community we wish to live hand in hand with the Azerbaijani Community whom we always welcome as our brothers and sisters. Our hope is that in Toronto, the Turkish and Azeri Communities create a bond that will become stronger as time passes.

Thank you very much.”