Kazakhstan
Türkiye
Kyrgyzstan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
Hungary
August 1 2001· Holiday
Day of the Azerbaijani Alphabet and Language
From 1 August 2001 all official writing in Azerbaijan switched to the Latin-based alphabet. The day celebrates the language and its script.
Azerbaijani belongs to the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages and is the mother tongue of more than 30 million people. For centuries it was written in Arabic script; the idea of moving to a Latin alphabet was first put forward by Mirza Fatali Akhundov in 1857.
A Latin alphabet was used in 1929–1939, after which Cyrillic was imposed. After independence was restored the Latin-based Azerbaijani alphabet was readopted in 1991, and from 1 August 2001 state bodies and the press switched to it completely.
Establishing the day
A decree by Heydar Aliyev on 9 August 2001 declared 1 August the Day of the Azerbaijani Alphabet and Language. It is marked with conferences on language and literature, book exhibitions and educational events.
Video
Photos
The modern Azerbaijani alphabet · BFPlayer 0 / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 
Mirza Fatali Akhundov's Latin alphabet project (1870) · Mirza Fatali Akhundov / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain 
Akhundov's new alphabet project · Interfase / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 
Farhad Aghazade's Latin alphabet project (1906) · Fərhad Agazadə / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain 
The Azerbaijani alphabet · Masalli qasimli / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 
A historic leaflet in Azerbaijani · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Azerbaijan: other days
- January 1New Year's Day
- January 2020 January, Day of National Mourning
- February 26Khojaly Genocide Day
- March 8International Women's Day
- March 21Nowruz
- March 31Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis
- May 9Victory Day
- May 28Independence Day
- June 15National Salvation Day
- June 26Armed Forces Day
- July 22National Press Day
- September 18National Music Day
- September 27Remembrance Day
- October 3Founding of the Organization of Turkic States
- October 18Independence Restoration Day
- November 8Victory Day
- November 9National Flag Day
- November 12Constitution Day
- November 17National Revival Day
- December 31World Azerbaijanis Solidarity Day
- 10 Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar — the feast of the Hajj pilgrimage; moves about 11 days earlier each yearEid al-Adha
- 1 Shawwal in the Islamic calendar — the end of the Ramadan fast; moves about 11 days earlier each yearEid al-Fitr