The National Leader Heydar Aliyev's Speech at the First Forum of Azerbaijani Youth

One of the pleasing aspects of today's Forum was that all young people who made speeches here had very fluent Azerbaijani. You know, it was impossible to observe it a few years ago. Due to some particular make-up of last years of the former regime, the Azerbaijani language hadn’t been able to develop properly in Azerbaijan. True, we have tried it hard, and many efforts were made in the 60s, 70s and 80s. However, the Azerbaijani language didn’t become the dominant language. We were part of the Soviet Union. The common language of the Soviet Union - Russian was dominant and most of the parents at that time would send their children to Russian language schools. It was acceptable, and in order to get a good education and good teaching, it was necessary to get education in that language if you wished to study outside Azerbaijan and  it wasn’t condemnable then. However, all these cases precluded our language from the full development. However, frankly speaking, we were not an independent state, and many people spoke the language of a common state. Therefore, some people, unfortunately, did not have a good attitude to their language. I remember that most of the young people at the former komsomol congresses could not speak fluently or express their thoughts clearly in Azerbaijani. But today's speakers have charmed me, they have demonstrated the richness of our language and the existence of a ruling language in Azerbaijan today.

You know, every Azerbaijani youth should try to learn many world languages - Russian, English, French, Arabic and Persian. This is of great importance, because the close relationship between the modern world countries today and in the future requires multilinguality. I also advise our younger generation to adhere to this way. But first of all, we must know our native language – the Azerbaijani language, speak  this language well, feel it as a native language and  love it. Those who don’t know or love their own language can’t know well the history of the country they represent. I remember, in the 70's, I anxiously gave orders to include more samples of Azerbaijan Literature into school curriculum at Russian-language schools. The youth that don’t know the native language, the native literature won’t be able to read Fuzuli, Nasimi, Vagif, Sabir, Jalil Mammadguluzadeh and others. If they don’t read these writers’ books, they will not know the history and culture, the historical roots and national traditions.  If they don’t know these people, they will not be patriots of their country.

I wish the Azerbaijani youth would read   Shakespeare in English, but Nizami, Fuzuli, and Nasimi in Azerbaijani. Today, my hopes have become even greater, and our youth will learn more about our history, master our native Azerbaijani language for the years ahead, and all these taken steps will create a sense of patriotism in every young Azerbaijani. Speaking about the language, culture, national traditions, I want to emphasize that all citizens of Azerbaijan have equal rights, and they freely use any language they have chosen. Azerbaijan is the homeland of all the nations living in Azerbaijan. When we speak about the Azerbaijani people, the Azerbaijan citizens, we understand the unity of all the nations living in Azerbaijan.

 Baku city, 02 February 1996