Azerbaijan National Press Day (22/07)

National Press Day is celebrated in Azerbaijan annually on July 22, the day of publication in 1875 of the first printed publication, the newspaper «Ekinchi» («Pakhar», 1875—1877), by the outstanding Azerbaijani educator Hasan-bek Zardabi.

The national press of Azerbaijan significantly influenced the formation of national identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which not least contributed to the creation of the first democratic republic in the entire East and the granting of the right to vote to women already in 1919, at the same time as, for example, in the USA.

Since the 1980s, the national press of the Republic began to fulfill the mission of a free and democratic press, respect for the thoughts and expressions of people, prompt information through updated information, propaganda of the ideas of pluralism and tolerance.

By decree of the President of the Republic Heydar Aliyev dated August 16, 1998 «On measures to ensure freedom of speech, thought and information in the Republic of Azerbaijan», censorship of the media in the country was eliminated.

This decree gave a serious impetus to the accelerated development of the media and also determined the main directions of a broad state program in the field of increasing their rationality.

Azerbaijan has joined the global information system. As in many democratic countries, the Press Council was created in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the law «On the media» was adopted (December 7, 1999 № 769-IQ).

Today, more than 600 media operate in Azerbaijan, most of which — are printed publications, approximately 50 more — electronic media and 20 news agencies. On their professional holiday, all employees of these media outlets accept congratulations from management, colleagues and, of course, readers.

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