Baku, December 12, AZERTAC

Every year Azerbaijani people on December 12 commemorate the anniversary of the passing of Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev, by visiting the Alley of Honors. Today, 11 years have passed since the death of the architect and builder of the modern independent state of Azerbaijan, world-famous politician, great son of the Turkish world and nationwide leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev. An extraordinary personality and charismatic leader, Heydar Aliyev, who was noted for great talent inherent in political and public figures, was a living legend.

Prominent public figures, intellectuals, representatives of the Government and Parliament, ordinary people pay tribute to the nationwide leader of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan's historical destiny, which covers more than past thirty years, is inseparably linked with Heydar Aliyev's name. Revival of the nation in all spheres of their socio-political, economic and cultural life is linked with his name.

During this period, Heydar Aliyev as a leader served his Motherland - Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev wanted his native land to progress. He was proud of the rich culture and great historical past and was very much concerned about the coming generations.

Heydar Aliyev helped Azerbaijan overcome heavy and tough ordeals of time. He was an outstanding politician and statesman, the indisputable leader of the nation. Heydar Aliyev phenomenon has always attracted attention, the leader's .

The leader's impetuous political activity was widely covered both in the local and international media.

Today, on the 11th anniversary of the death of great son of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, residents of Baku and other regions and cities of the country, as well as foreign guests visited the Alley of Honors to lay flowers and wreaths at his tomb.

The greatest part of Azerbaijan’s contemporary history upholds Heydar Aliyev’s name. Distinguished with extraordinary personality and a great talent belonging to a statesman, charismatic leader Heydar Aliyev had already turned into a living legend during his life. Having assumed leadership of the republic in 1969 for the first time, Heydar Aliyev had transformed Azerbaijan that was deep in social-economic crisis into one of the leading republics of the former Soviet Union in the years of 1970-1985s. Scholars justly note that modern Azerbaijan’s state sovereignty and economic independence is based on the potential founded in those years.

In 90s of the past century, when the people of Azerbaijan believed that the national statehood was on the edge of a fall, when the hardest days began, they insistently demanded change of the existing power, and since that time, relied their destiny on Heydar Aliyev.

This was a great come back and thanks to his savvy, rich political and statehood experience, unbreakable determination, invincible will, the national leader saved the country, the people and the young independent state from an inevitable tragedy. Appreciative Azerbaijani people have never forgotten the unexampled services of its great son.

This day went down in history of the independent Azerbaijan as the Day of National Salvation.

In the years following the death of savior of the statehood of Azerbaijan, great son of the Turkic world, Heydar Aliyev, the tomb of this prominent person, eternal-living President has turned into the sacred sanctuary of our nation and the oath place of the youth. Almost throughout the whole year, people arrive here to pay tribute to this great Azerbaijani, who had introduced our people and Azerbaijan to the world and had himself become one of the greatest people around the globe.

Over the years the grave of the great leader and ever-living President in the Alley of Honor has become a place of worship for the people of Azerbaijan. People come here throughout the year to pay respect to the memory of the great son of Azerbaijan, who has glorified his people and Azerbaijan all over the world and is recognized as one of the most prominent personalities on the planet.