This page collects news, official statements, reports and historical background about November 8 – Victory Day, one of Azerbaijan's main national holidays. The date marks the victory in the Second Karabakh War and the liberation of Shusha on November 8, 2020. The tag is useful for readers, students and journalists who need verified information about the holiday, its events and its meaning. New materials appear on the page as they are published, so the key stories about the date are always in one place.
What is Victory Day
Victory Day (Azerbaijani: Zəfər Günü) is celebrated in Azerbaijan every year on November 8. The holiday was established by an order of the President of Azerbaijan in December 2020, soon after the end of the war. The date was chosen because on November 8, 2020, Azerbaijani forces liberated Shusha after 28 years of occupation. Materials under the tag explain how the holiday came to be and why this particular day became the symbol of the victory.
The war began on September 27, 2020, and lasted 44 days. It ended with a trilateral statement signed on November 10, 2020. During these weeks Azerbaijan regained control of territories that had been occupied since the early 1990s. The tag publishes chronicles, expert commentary and archive materials covering the course of the fighting, the role of the army, and the political and diplomatic context of the victory.
Why Shusha matters
Shusha is regarded as one of the main cultural centers of Azerbaijan and the cradle of Azerbaijani music and poetry, including mugham. For this reason its liberation carries a special symbolic meaning for the whole country. The liberation of the city was announced by President Ilham Aliyev on November 8, 2020. Reports, historical notes and eyewitness accounts about Shusha are published here, including how the city is being restored today.
Celebrations and commemorative events
Every year on November 8, official ceremonies, flower-laying at memorials, concerts, exhibitions and meetings with veterans and families of martyrs take place in Baku and across the country. Officials visit Shusha and other liberated cities, and special programs are held for young people. The holiday is also marked abroad: Azerbaijani embassies host receptions and events, and the tag covers such news as well, for example the official reception held by the Azerbaijani embassy in Bucharest. Anniversaries, especially round ones, receive extended coverage.
What materials are collected in the tag
Why follow this tag
The tag helps you quickly find everything related to Victory Day: fresh news, historical background and reports from commemorative events. The page is updated with every new publication, and around the anniversary it receives especially many materials. Subscribe so you don't miss important dates, speeches and stories.
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