The date March 8 is known throughout the world mainly as International Women's Day. However, in the Syrian Arab Republic this day is celebrated as a public holiday – Revolution Day on March 8 (March Revolution Day, People's Revolution Day).
In 1963, as a result of another military coup, the «Baath» party, otherwise known as the PASV – Arab Socialist Renaissance Party, came to power in the country. In fact, this party has retained its leading position in the state to this day, despite the fact that in 2012, following a referendum in which a new Constitution was approved, the «Baath» party equalized its rights with other political parties in Syria.
Despite the fact that the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party did not take part in the 1963 coup, this latest military coup in Syria itself brought «Baath» to power in the state, since the coup was led by Baathist officers.
The «Baath» party (translated from Arabic as «revival, resurrection»), as it is briefly called in Syria, appeared in 1947 under the name Arab Revival Party. This party originated not as a Syrian political party, but as a pan-Arab one, as indicated by its existence not only in Syria, but also in other countries of the Middle East. In 1954, it merged with the Arab Socialist Party, after which it received its modern name: Arab Socialist Renaissance Party (ASV). The party's political program was based on the ideas of uniting Arabs and building socialism.
The proclamation of Syria as a people's democratic republic was enthusiastically received by the majority of the country's population. The coming to power of the «Baath» party in the political sphere actually took shape into a one-party system, when the ruling party could not have opponents. The permanent leader of the country after another coup in 1970 was party leader Hafez al-Assad, who was elected to the post of President of the Republic in a popular referendum in 1971 and remained in office until his death in 2000.
In fact, all political contradictions in Syria occurred between representatives of different directions of the same party. Hafez al-Assad was a moderate leader. After his death, his son Bashar Hafez al-Assad was elected President of the country. The situation changed only in 2012 after the adoption of the new Constitution, when, in addition to the Arab Socialist Renaissance Party, other political parties received the right to exist.
Back in 1963, in order to emphasize the significance of the events of March 1963 in the fate of Syria, the commemorative award – medal «8 March» was established.
The undisputed merit of «Baath» after coming to govern the country is the establishment of order in the state and the end of a series of continuous military coups that hampered the development of Syria. This also includes the fact that Syria is one of the most secular countries in the Arab world.
On March 8, thousands of people hold rallies and demonstrations in support of President Assad on the streets and squares in Syrian cities.