Azerbaijani people on Dec. 12 are commemorating the 11th anniversary of the passing of Azerbaijani national leader Heydar Aliyev, by visiting the Alley of Honor

Throughout the day, prominent public figures, intellectuals, representatives of the Government and Parliament will pay tribute at the memorial of the ex-President 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. 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.

Heydar Aliyev was a living legend - 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.

In June 1993, 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.

Heydar Aliyev, seeing the misfortune of his nation, accepted the invitation and returned to big politics in Azerbaijan. The people met the return of Heydar Aliyev with a hope and joy, and this day went down in history of the independent Azerbaijan as the Day of National Salvation.

Heydar Alirza oglu Aliyev was born on May 10, 1923 in the city of Nakhchivan of Azerbaijan. In 1939, after graduating from the Nakhchivan Pedagogical School, he studied at the architectural department of the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute (now the Azerbaijan State Oil Academy). The incipient war prevented him from completing education.

Since 1941, Heydar Aliyev headed the department at the People Commissariat of Internal Affairs of Nakhchivan ASSR and in 1944 was sent to work at the state security bodies.

Heydar Aliyev, working since that time in the security bodies, since 1964 held the post of deputy chairman, and since 1967 - chairman of the State Security Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan Republic. He was later conferred the rank of major general.

During these years, he received a special higher education in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), and in 1957 he graduated from the history department of the Azerbaijani State University.

Being elected as the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan at the Plenum of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan in July 1969, Heydar Aliyev became the head of the Republic.

In December 1982, Heydar Aliyev was elected as member of Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Soviet Union, and appointed to the post of the First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the USSR, and became one of the leaders of the USSR.

During twenty years, Heydar Aliyev was the Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and for five years was the Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

In October 1987, Heydar Aliyev, as a sign of protest against the policy pursued by Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and personally against the Secretary General Mikhail Gorbachev, resigned from his post.

Inbound with the tragedy, committed on 20 January 1990 in Baku by the Soviet troops, appearing on the next day at the Azerbaijan Representation in Moscow with a statement, demanded to punish the organizers and executors of the crime committed against the people of Azerbaijan.

As a sign of protest against the two-faced policy of the leadership of the USSR, and in connection with the critical conflict occurred in Nagorno-Karabakh, in July 1991, he left the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Upon returning to Azerbaijan in July of 1990, Heydar Aliyev has first lived in Baku, then in Nakhchivan, and that same year he was elected as deputy to the

By return in July 1990 to Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev has lived at first in Baku, then in Nakhchivan, and on the same year he was elected as deputy to the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan.

In 1991-1993, he held the post of Chairman of the Supreme Majlis (parliament) of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In 1992, at the constituent congress of the New Azerbaijan Party in Nakhchivan, Heydar Aliyev, was elected as Chairman of the Party.

In May-June 1993, when, as the result of extreme tension of the governmental crisis, the country was on the verge of civil war and loss of independence, the people of Azerbaijan demanded to bring Heydar Aliyev to power. The then leaders of Azerbaijan were obliged to officially invite Heydar Aliyev to Baku.

On 15 June 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan, and on 24 July - on resolution of the Milli Majlis, started fulfilling his duties as the President of Azerbaijan Republic.

On Oct. 3, 1993, as the result of nationwide voting, Heydar Aliyev was elected as President of Azerbaijan Republic.

On October 11, 1998, having garnered at the elections, passed in the high activeness of the population, 76.1 percent of the votes, he was re-elected as President of Azerbaijan Republic. Heydar Aliyev, giving his consent to be nominated as a candidate at the October 15 presidential elections in 2003, Heydar Aliyev relinquished to run at the elections due to health problems.

Heydar Aliyev was conferred a number of international awards, the title of honorary doctor of numerous countries` universities, and other high honors. He was awarded the Lenin Order four times, the Order of Krasnaya Zvezda and many medals, twice Hero of Socialist Labor, and was awarded with Orders and medals of many foreign states.

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