An official reception was held in the Swiss Confederation on the occasion of 28 May – Independence Day.
On 27 May 2026, an official reception on the occasion of 28 May – Independence Day was held at the Bellevue Palace in Bern, the capital of Switzerland. The event commenced with the performance of the national anthems of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Swiss Confederation, and the Principality of Liechtenstein.
The official reception was attended by high-ranking officials of the Swiss Government, heads of diplomatic missions, representatives of the country’s political, cultural, and business circles, members of the Azerbaijani diaspora, as well as representatives of the local community.
During his remarks, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Swiss Confederation and the Principality of Liechtenstein, Fuad Isgandarov, stated that 108 years ago, on 28 May 1918, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic — the first parliamentary democratic state in the Muslim East — was established. Referring to the glorious historical path of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the Ambassador emphasized that Azerbaijan granted women the right to vote and to be elected earlier than many European countries.
It was noted in the speech that despite its existence for only 23 months, the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic left an important historical legacy in terms of shaping statehood traditions, establishing democratic institutions, and strengthening national identity. The Ambassador provided the guests with detailed information regarding the Republic’s struggle for independence and its achievements.
Ambassador F. Isgandarov also noted that since 1993, under the leadership of National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the foundations of the modern development strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan had been laid. It was highlighted that this strategic course is currently being successfully and consistently continued by President Ilham Aliyev.
The Ambassador also provided detailed information on the new geopolitical realities that have emerged in the South Caucasus region over the past year, the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process, and the initialling of a peace agreement between the two countries. It was emphasized that direct dialogue and contacts played an important role in the preparation of the peace agreement and in building an atmosphere of trust between the parties. In this regard, attention was drawn to the fact that the direct negotiations held between the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Geneva in 2022, with the facilitation of Switzerland, made a significant contribution to the normalization process.
It was further noted that, after nearly 30 years, a de facto peace environment has emerged in the region. Alongside this, particular emphasis was placed on the fact that initial steps have been taken towards the restoration of economic relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, that the first trade contacts between the parties have begun to emerge, and that new opportunities for regional cooperation have arisen.
During the artistic part of the event, the “Horizons” Orchestra performed under the direction of Jamila Garayusifli, a young Azerbaijani violinist well-known in Europe and Switzerland, laureate of international competitions, and recipient of the Presidential Scholarship.
