Baku celebrated Republic Day with fireworks and festivities | Big in Baku

Baku came out to celebrate Republic Day with fireworks and festivities on the city’s iconic Bulvar.<br /><br />On 28 May 1918, Azerbaijan declared independence, becoming the first democratic republic in the Muslim world. The holiday has been observed every year since the country regained its independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.<br /><br />This year, the celebrations were even more special than usual, coming just 15 days before the start of the Baku 2015 European Games.