National emblem of Azerbaijan

Emblem of Azerbaijan Azərbaycan gerbi Азәрбајҹан герби
Details
Armiger	Republic of Azerbaijan
Adopted	17 November 1990 (1918)
Escutcheon	Vert, On a Mullet of eight points Argent, fimbriated Or, an Eternal Flame, a Bordure within a Bordure within
Compartment	Wheat and Oak

The state emblem of Azerbaijan^[1] mixes traditional and modern symbols. The focal point of the emblem is the fire symbol. This symbol comes from the fact that Azerbaijan has many everlasting fires which also gives the name "land of eternal fire" – in representation of its original roots in Zoroastrianism.

At the bottom of the emblem is a stalk of wheat, representing the main agricultural product of the nation, which was also part of the earlier arms. The other plant represented at the bottom is oak.

History

The emblem of Azerbaijan under the Soviet Union (Azerbaijan S.S.R.)

The government of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic declared a competition on the national emblem of Azerbaijan on January 30, 1920 and made a decision to present the emblem model on May of the same year. However, due to the collapse of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on April 28, 1920, the emblem was not approved.

The Supreme Medjlis of the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic discussed the issue connected with the national emblem and raised petition in the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan SSR on declaration of a new competition on the national emblem of Azerbaijan on November 17, 1990.

The competition was declared by the decision of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic on February 5, 1991. Tens of projects of the emblem were presented during the competition of 1991-1992 and it was also proposed to approve one of the projects developed in 1919-1920.

By the Constitutional Law of the Supreme Council of the Azerbaijan Republic, approved on January 19, 1993, one of the projects, developed in 1919-1920 with certain alterations was confirmed the national emblem of the Azerbaijan Republic.

Like other post-Soviet republics whose symbols do not predate the October Revolution, the current emblem retained partial components of the Soviet one such as the wheat and the color red on the shield previously seen in the banners.

Meaning

The colors used in composing the emblem are taken from the national flag. The green represents that Azerbaijan is an Islamic country. Red represents the development and democracy of Azerbaijan. The blue represents that the Azerbaijanis are one of the Turkic peoples. The eight-pointed star (octagram) itself stands for the eight branches of the Turkic peoples, and between each point of the star, there is a smaller eight pointed star found.

The National Emblem of the Azerbaijan Republic symbolizes the independence of Azerbaijan. The national emblem is the image of an oriental shield and a semicircle formed by the branches of an oak-tree and ears resting on it. The shield contains the image of a fire in the center of an eight-point star against a background of the colors of the National flag of Azerbaijan.^[2]

Usage

The Azerbaijani emblem is shown on:

• The residence and the private office of the President of the Azerbaijan republic;
• The building of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Republic, its conference hall and the private office of the chair of the parliament;
• All courts, buildings of military tribunals, halls of judicial assembly; private offices of the chairs of the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court of the Azerbaijan Republic;
• Buildings of state bodies in cases stipulated in the legislative system of the Azerbaijan Republic;
• Buildings of diplomatic and trade representations and consulates of the Azerbaijan Republic

See also

• Emblem of the Azerbaijan SSR

References

1. Constitution of Azerbaijan | Article 23
2. http://www.meclis.gov.az/?/az/topcontent/20