Heydй™r Жџliyev Biz Azadiq Biz Mustй™qilik May 2026

The sentiment of these words is physically and culturally embedded in the country today:

: Aliyev famously stated that "preserving and protecting real independence is much more difficult than gaining it". This quote reflects the successful effort to make that independence "eternal and irreversible".

The phrase (We are free, we are independent, we are liberated) is one of the most iconic quotes by Heydar Aliyev , the third President of Azerbaijan and its "National Leader". It serves as a cornerstone of the ideology of Azerbaijanism , symbolizing the country's break from its Soviet past and its emergence as a sovereign state. Historical Context and Meaning

: Commemorated on June 15th, it marks Aliyev's return to Baku in 1993, the moment when the trajectory toward independence was solidified.

: The quote encapsulates the transition from a Soviet "administrative-economic unit" to a fully independent nation capable of self-determination.