President Ilham Aliyev congratulates Azerbaijani women on March 8

"Dear ladies!

I sincerely congratulate you on the International Women's Day and wish you all good health, happiness, and success in your future endeavors.

Azerbaijani women have made invaluable contributions to preserving over the course of centuries the integrity of our cultural values, which reflect our national identity. They have always been a reliable moral support of our society. With a sense of satisfaction, I want to note that, as active participants in the construction of a nation state, they spared no effort in building up the socioeconomic, cultural and scientific potential of our country. Thanks to the inexhaustible spiritual strength they have received from their selfless, fighting, and proud predecessors who left a deep mark in our history, they overcame all trials and fulfilled all the tasks assigned to them with dignity.

Demonstrating courage and perseverance, Azerbaijani women brought up a generation for which every inch of our land was more valuable than their own lives. Our women sent their sons to the front with prayers, waiting for their return with the news of victory. This young generation, whose heroism and courage in the 44-day sacred and Patriotic war will never be erased from our memory, is undoubtedly the greatest contribution to our statehood. This is the valiant generation that was born in a free and independent Azerbaijan and, justifying hopes, made an exceptional contribution to the restoration of justice, the reunification of Karabakh with the Motherland after long years of waiting, and gave boundless joy of Victory to our proud people.

I respectfully honor the memory of our brave sons who gave their lives defending our lands, convey my best wishes to the mothers and spouses of martyrs, the companions of our servicemen who lost their health in battles, to soldiers' mothers who raised worthy sons for our country.

I believe that highly moral Azerbaijani women, distinguished by their desire to create, as well as for their public and cultural activity, will continue to bring high values into the life of our society, and write new bright pages in the annals of our independence with their achievements in the period of large-scale creation awaiting us ahead."

International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8.