Toronto, June 5, 2025 – The Europe Today: The national flag of the Republic of Azerbaijan was ceremoniously raised in front of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in Toronto, Canada, in celebration of Azerbaijan’s Independence Day.
According to the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, the event was jointly organized by the “Vatan” Azerbaijani Art and Culture Center and the Azerbaijan House in Canada. The ceremony brought together members of the Azerbaijani diaspora, supporters of Azerbaijan, and several distinguished guests.
Among those in attendance were Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario Donna Skelly, Members of the Ontario Parliament, Turkish Consul General in Toronto Can Yoldaş, Director of Government Relations at the Consulate General of Israel in Toronto and Western Canada Elysse Danson, and Deputy Consul General of Ghana Joyce Asamoah-Koranteng.
In her opening remarks, Lalin Hasanova, head of the “Vatan” Azerbaijani Art and Culture Center and the Azerbaijan House in Canada, expressed gratitude to the guests for their participation and support. She conveyed her belief that Azerbaijanis living in Canada will continue to play a vital role in strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two nations.
Speakers at the event emphasized the remarkable progress of the modern Azerbaijani state, which carries the legacy of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first secular democratic republic in the Muslim world.
Congratulatory messages from Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party Bonnie Crombie, Speaker Donna Skelly, and Members of Provincial Parliament Mike Schreiner, Andrea Hazell, and Kristyn Wong-Tam were read aloud and presented to the Azerbaijani community in honor of the occasion.
The Azerbaijani tricolor flag was officially raised as the national anthem of Azerbaijan was performed. The ceremony concluded with traditional dances and a drum performance by students of the “My Azerbaijan” weekend school, which operates under the Azerbaijan House in Canada.
