Your Majesty,

    First of all, I would like to state the reason why I always need to address to you, to the devoted MAN to whose noble and highest personality I feel the deepest respect: you have been sent to this world with a huge burden, at the same time with a glorious destiny to enlighten it, alight the darkness, shine with goodwill of your soul, intentions and deeds, liberate and protect your country and people from miseries, be with them in their hour of need.

    I felt your protective instinct of the Motherland inherited from unforgettable Heydar Aliyev, your willingness to protect the nation in the summer months of the 2008 – the first years of your leadership – while watching the military parade held in the Azadliq Square with my eyes brimming while the fighter aircrafts were decorating the sky with the colours of the national flag, as if they were expressing “Don't worry, my nation, you are not alone!” I remembered the January 20 that had turned the Baku streets into bloody lake, the realities and horror of those ‘black days’ of my country when I understood how we were alone, without a leader, borders, and state, and as if I lived the people’s pain once again...

    This huge willingness to hold the self-respect of the people and Motherland proved itself vividly during the upcoming year of great challenges. It was revealed with all features and scale in your own fights for Azerbaijan and the name of ‘Azerbaijani’, the restoration of historical justice and standing alone against the world for the victory of great truth, in ‘cold political battles’ through which you moved forward step by step with restraint and patience, professional, free and sincere diplomacy. Your sincere concern was felt in every home, in every soul during the pandemic when the world faced with tight testing, when people were left to their tragic fate and merciless indifference…

    As a result of all these sacrifices, this thoughtful, purposeful, and intensive activity, Azerbaijan, whose rights had been violated for many years and centuries, whose lands were captured, whose people became refugees, whose voice and words were not heard, could get out of the darkness of the swamp of invisibility and inaudibility, and entered the international arena as a strong political, economic and military power with a unique national culture and human potential... The world saw and recognized us from a completely new angle.

    During 18 years, which seemed like a blink of an eye, we could understand the essence of all these revolutionary events that changed the landscape and living standards of the country, the national and social status of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis through fundamental reforms and constructive work, which were the beginning of a broad and clear path leading to great historical victories much later - when a powerful Azerbaijani army, equipped with the most modern weapons, rose from the depths of the invisibility as a giant dragon with a flaming body to the sky...

    The unforgettable days, full of joy and tears, when we received one after another the news on the liberation of Fizuli, Jabrail, and Zangilan districts, we could not wake up from the shock of what had happened: was it a dream or reality? In the evenings we were looking forward to seeing You - the Supreme Commander-in-Chief - in front of the TV as if we were waiting for our head of family on whom we could rely with our fear and hope. And your coming to the meeting with us to remove forever the national tragedy of long years, the defeat syndrome that went down in our memory, all mistrust and despair…  With the bloody Patriotic War on your shoulders, the martyr’s pain in your soul, proclaiming boldly the names of liberated cities and villages, you tried to console our grief-stricken compatriots and offended babies... On Victory Day, with a gentle embrace in Shusha you awoke the national spirit frozen for years and the whole Azerbaijan.

    Our esteemed president,

    This great victory, achieved through years of patience and endurance, a far-sighted professional policy, continuous selfless activity, and courage of the victorious Azerbaijani army, was for a long time accompanied by collapse and disintegration, political and moral bankruptcy, capitulation of lands, borders and territories. It is an indisputable historical fact that this is the most glorious page in our national history, which completed the sad chronology with the occupation of Karabakh at the end of the 20th century. The Victory Page, which changed the fate of an entire country and people, written on your fate on the eve of your 60th birthday, I think, is one of the magical secrets of the Almighty Creator, who felt sorry for Azerbaijan, chose, and sent the giant among His created bright ones in whom the people and the whole country could fit…

    Praise be to our Almighty Creator! Congratulations on your 60 Glory Years full of selfless, goodwill and light!

With the utmost respect,

Afag Masud