Azerbaijani National Press Praised for Advancing the Nation’s Highest Aspirations: President Ilham Aliyev

Baku, The Gulf Observer: President Ilham Aliyev extended heartfelt congratulations to Azerbaijani media representatives on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the national press, paying tribute to its enduring contribution to the country’s intellectual, cultural, and national development.

In his official message, President Aliyev praised the Azerbaijani press for its historic and ongoing role in shaping public discourse and advancing societal progress. “The Azerbaijani national press has always focused on the issues of concern to our society and on the advanced ideas and progressive thoughts of the time. It has made an exceptional contribution to the education of our people, the promotion of national and human values, the development of the Azerbaijani literary language, and the realization of the most sublime aspirations of our people — such as freedom and independence,” he stated.

President Aliyev also recalled the foundational moment of Azerbaijani journalism — the publication of the newspaper Akinchi by the visionary educator and publisher Hasan bey Zardabi on July 22, 1875.

“Akinchi was a herald of advanced ideas and a mirror of the era’s public and political life,” he said. “This historic event reverberated extensively throughout the Caucasus at the time, gave an impetus to the development of the enlightenment movement in Azerbaijan, contributed to national awakening, the formation of national self-awareness and freedom of thought, and played a significant role in the upbringing of a progressive generation of journalists, publishers, and intellectuals.”

The President concluded by reaffirming the state’s support for media development and the vital role of the press in promoting freedom of expression, public engagement, and national unity.