Ceremony marking Azerbaijan's Independence Day held in Ankara

A ceremonial event dedicated to May 28 – Azerbaijan's Independence Day was held at the National Congress Center in Ankara.

According to Report's Turkish bureau, the ceremony was attended by Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Ankara Rashad Mammadov, members of the diplomatic corps accredited in Türkiye, representatives of state institutions, parliament and the armed forces, as well as cadets, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora, and figures from science and culture.

The national anthems of both countries were performed, followed by a minute of silence in memory of the martyrs of Azerbaijan and Türkiye. A video presentation highlighting Azerbaijan's achievements was also shown.

In his speech, Ambassador Rashad Mammadov highlighted the historical significance of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR), the first secular democratic republic in the Muslim world, and emphasized the role of its founders in the development of Azerbaijani statehood.

He also drew attention to the historical contributions of National Leader Heydar Aliyev to the preservation and strengthening of statehood, as well as the undeniable role of Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in strengthening the brotherly ties and strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

"A strong Azerbaijan means a strong Türkiye. Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Türkiye is a symbol of unity and solidarity in the Turkic world," the ambassador said.

Mammadov further noted Azerbaijan's progress across various fields, particularly in strengthening its armed forces under President Ilham Aliyev.

"Independence is the honor of a nation. We are proud of our Armed Forces and honor the memory of our martyrs. We will do everything necessary to preserve the achievements attained under the wise leadership of President Ilham Aliyev," he added.

Speaking at the event, Turkish Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu conveyed greetings on behalf of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and congratulated the people of Azerbaijan.

He emphasized the importance of further consolidating efforts between Ankara and Baku in the interest of the entire Turkic world, praised Azerbaijan's recent achievements, and called for continued expansion of bilateral and multilateral cooperation across all fields.

The event concluded with a concert program featuring artists, along with a photo exhibition dedicated to Azerbaijan's achievements and Azerbaijan–Türkiye cooperation.