The Honorable Anthony A. Williams
Mayor
Washington, District of Columbia
10 April 2003
Dear Mayor Williams,
We, of the Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA), a non-profit umbrella organization uniting Azerbaijani-Americans in the US, would like to commend your fine work for the District of Columbia, in such challenging and difficult times.
ASA is an organization dedicated to enhancing knowledge about Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani-Americans, their culture and history as well as promoting ties in economic, cultural, and scientific spheres between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the United States. Our organization works with various organizations, associations and religious groups to enhance intercultural understanding and to promote peace in the region of Caucasus.
As residents of the nations capital, as well as all the 50 states of our new homeland, we would also like to be acknowledged as being part of the history and community of Washington D.C.
Therefore, we would welcome your proclamation of the 85th year anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Azerbaijan as May 28, 2003. As you know, Azerbaijan became the first Muslim democratic and parliamentary republic in the world on May 28, 1918. After many long years as part of the Soviet Union, it has again freed itself to become a secular and democratic nation tied to the Western world in 1991.
Your proclamation would be gratefully acknowledged by the Azerbaijani-Americans, as a bridge of unity in our common wish for peace, prosperity and happiness. We, as Azerbaijani-Americans, would be honored if you would celebrate our independence day with us and pray for the peace and friendship of all nations.
These URLs have been consulted in for the drafting of the proclamation, in order to verify all the facts:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030321-4.html
http://www.nato-pa.int/default.asp?TAB=200
http://www.nato.int/pfp/eapc-cnt.htm
http://www.nato.int/pfp/sig-cntr.htm
http://www.usafe.af.mil/news/news02/uns02144.htm
http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/aj.html
Sincerely,
Adil Baguirov
Azerbaijan Society of America (ASA) – Washington, D.C. Office
http://usa.azeris.org
PROCLAMATION
Azerbaijan Republic National Day
WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan has an area of 33,440 square miles, includes the exclave of Naxcivan and Karabakh region, situated in the South Caucasus region, southeastern Europe; and
WHEREAS, Republic of Azerbaijan was proclaimed on May 28, 1918, and became the first secular Muslim democratic republic in the history of the world, and was recognized by other democratic nations, including the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, Azerbaijan was an independent republic from 1918 to 1920, and a part of the Soviet Union from 1920 to 1991. On October 18, 1991, Parliament of Azerbaijan adopted the Constitutional Act of State Independence from the Soviet Union; and
WHEREAS, every year for the last 85 years, Azerbaijanis around the globe, who are one of the largest ethnic groups in the world with an estimated 45 million people, observe May 28 as the National Day and remember the contribution of their forefathers to the spread of democracy in the Caucasus and the greater region; and
WHEREAS, as the continuation of its founders’ guiding principles and promulgation of common values of humanity and democracy, Republic of Azerbaijan is a staunch US and Western ally; and
WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan is a NATO Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Associate Member; and
WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan is an active member of the NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP), sending its peacekeeping troops to Kosovo and Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan was among the first to offer condolences to the government of the United States and the families of victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; and
WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan unconditionally supports the US-led War on Terrorism; and
WHEREAS, the Republic of Azerbaijan is a member of the ‘Coalition of the Willing’ in the Operation Iraqi Freedom,
NOW, THEREFORE, I, THE MAYOR OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, do hereby proclaim May 28, 2003, as “Azerbaijan Republic National Day” in Washington D.C., and call upon all residents of this great city to join me in observing this day.