On March 26, 1998, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev issued a Decree according to which a memorial date — Day of the Genocide of Azerbaijanis ( azerb was established on March 31. Azərbaycanlıların Soyqırımı Günü ).
The events to which today's date is dedicated took place in March 1918 in Baku and the Baku province. Then, during the establishment of Soviet power in the republic, massive interethnic clashes took place, leading to many thousands of victims, mainly among local residents of — Muslims.
In the modern history of Azerbaijan, these events are regarded as the genocide of the Azerbaijani people by the Armenians with the support of the Bolsheviks. But this concept of Azerbaijani genocide is criticized by a number of researchers.
Today, events are held in Azerbaijan and in many countries around the world dedicated to the day of remembrance of the victims of the massacres of Azerbaijanis in Baku, Shemakh and other cities that took place in March 1918.
Similar events are held in some cities in the United States, where Azerbaijanis live. To this end, American-Azerbaijani society annually prepares an action plan dedicated to March 31.
This memorial date is celebrated in all Azerbaijani families.