WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.240 Welcome back to the Deep Dive. We're really glad 00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:04.879 you can join us today. Absolutely. It's great 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:06.900 to be here. If you're anything like me, you probably 00:00:06.900 --> 00:00:11.179 walk past statues or monuments or maybe you just 00:00:11.179 --> 00:00:12.560 look at old photographs of people in uniform 00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:14.359 and you see these little ribbons and pieces of 00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:16.859 metal pinned to their chests. Right, the decorations. 00:00:17.420 --> 00:00:19.600 Yeah, exactly. And we usually just glance right 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:21.620 past them. We register them vaguely as military 00:00:21.620 --> 00:00:24.940 honors and just move on. But today, we are going 00:00:24.940 --> 00:00:29.730 on a mission custom -tailored just for you. We're 00:00:29.730 --> 00:00:32.289 going to explore how a nation actually immortalizes 00:00:32.289 --> 00:00:35.850 its absolute highest ideals of bravery into a 00:00:35.850 --> 00:00:39.250 single wearable object. It is a really fascinating 00:00:39.250 --> 00:00:41.929 concept when you stop and really think about 00:00:41.929 --> 00:00:44.609 it. A country's highest honors act as a mirror 00:00:44.609 --> 00:00:46.990 to its deepest values. They aren't just jewelry. 00:00:47.109 --> 00:00:49.310 They tell us exactly what that society considers 00:00:49.310 --> 00:00:53.170 to be the ultimate sacrifice. the pinnacle of 00:00:53.170 --> 00:00:55.770 human character and what actions it wants its 00:00:55.770 --> 00:00:59.409 citizens to aspire to. Exactly. And today, we're 00:00:59.409 --> 00:01:02.229 focusing on one very specific award, the Gold 00:01:02.229 --> 00:01:04.969 Star Medal of Azerbaijan. Natively, it's known 00:01:04.969 --> 00:01:07.590 as the Kajal Ulduz Medal. And as I was digging 00:01:07.590 --> 00:01:09.510 into the source material, the history and the 00:01:09.510 --> 00:01:12.450 design of this specific honor, I realized we 00:01:12.450 --> 00:01:14.950 aren't just looking at a dry list of dates and 00:01:14.950 --> 00:01:17.349 dimensions here. We're looking at the literal, 00:01:17.510 --> 00:01:20.659 physical weight of heroism. We're going to explore 00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:23.060 the surprising inclusivity of who can actually 00:01:23.060 --> 00:01:26.180 receive this award and the rather meticulous 00:01:26.180 --> 00:01:29.060 evolution of its design over time. And that design 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:31.079 evolution is key to understanding the medal's 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:34.459 significance. Medals are highly intentional objects. 00:01:34.700 --> 00:01:37.340 Every millimeter, every material choice, and 00:01:37.340 --> 00:01:39.780 every change in a governmental decree reflects 00:01:39.780 --> 00:01:43.200 a shift in institutional priority. It is rarely 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:45.500 just an aesthetic update. It's a statement of 00:01:45.500 --> 00:01:47.909 national identity. Okay, let's unpack this by 00:01:47.909 --> 00:01:49.709 starting at the very beginning. The historical 00:01:49.709 --> 00:01:52.010 foundation of this medal is remarkably precise. 00:01:52.290 --> 00:01:55.609 It was established on March 25, 1992. Which is 00:01:55.609 --> 00:01:58.250 very early on. It is. This was done under Decree 00:01:58.250 --> 00:02:00.569 No. 201 by the former president of Azerbaijan, 00:02:00.769 --> 00:02:02.989 Abulfaz Elchevi. And what really stood out to 00:02:02.989 --> 00:02:04.829 me is that they did not wait long at all to start 00:02:04.829 --> 00:02:06.989 recognizing people. The very first award was 00:02:06.989 --> 00:02:10.729 handed out shortly after, on June 7, 1992. It's 00:02:10.729 --> 00:02:13.550 important to keep that 1992 timeline in mind. 00:02:14.189 --> 00:02:16.669 We're talking about a period of profound definition 00:02:16.669 --> 00:02:20.250 for the republic. When a nation establishes an 00:02:20.250 --> 00:02:23.370 award like this, especially that early, it is 00:02:23.370 --> 00:02:25.810 setting a cornerstone for its modern identity. 00:02:26.030 --> 00:02:27.810 Right. Establishing the ground rules. Exactly. 00:02:28.210 --> 00:02:30.830 Establishing the parameters of what makes someone 00:02:30.830 --> 00:02:33.530 a national hero is one of the ways a country 00:02:33.530 --> 00:02:36.270 defines itself, not just. internally to its own 00:02:36.270 --> 00:02:38.949 citizens, but externally on the world stage. 00:02:39.330 --> 00:02:42.110 They are essentially writing their own definition 00:02:42.110 --> 00:02:44.650 of courage. And the criteria they laid out for 00:02:44.650 --> 00:02:47.370 this courage are intense. You earn this award 00:02:47.370 --> 00:02:49.729 for bravery and courage shown in dissents of 00:02:49.729 --> 00:02:52.030 the sovereignty and territorial integrity of 00:02:52.030 --> 00:02:54.669 the Republic of Azerbaijan. Yeah. Now, on its 00:02:54.669 --> 00:02:56.770 face, that sounds like a fairly standard, albeit 00:02:56.770 --> 00:02:59.259 incredibly serious, military honor. You defend 00:02:59.259 --> 00:03:01.979 the borders. You defend the sovereignty. You 00:03:01.979 --> 00:03:03.960 are recognized. What's fascinating here is the 00:03:03.960 --> 00:03:06.680 secondary piece of those criteria. The official 00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:09.479 parameters explicitly state that it is also awarded 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:12.020 for the protection of the world population or, 00:03:12.139 --> 00:03:14.300 as it's often translated, the protection of the 00:03:14.300 --> 00:03:16.500 civil population. And that feels like a massive 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:19.750 distinction. It absolutely is. Think about what 00:03:19.750 --> 00:03:21.849 that phrasing does to the nature of the award. 00:03:22.229 --> 00:03:24.930 It fundamentally shifts the focus of the medal 00:03:24.930 --> 00:03:28.189 from being a purely military decoration focused 00:03:28.189 --> 00:03:31.569 on territorial lines on a map to an award that 00:03:31.569 --> 00:03:34.789 encompasses deeply humanitarian protection. Wow. 00:03:34.949 --> 00:03:37.389 Yeah. It elevates the concept of defending a 00:03:37.389 --> 00:03:40.189 nation state to the much broader, much more universal 00:03:40.189 --> 00:03:43.469 concept of protecting human life itself. That 00:03:43.469 --> 00:03:45.810 distinction really changes how you view the people 00:03:45.810 --> 00:03:48.250 wearing it. It's not just about guarding sovereignty. 00:03:48.449 --> 00:03:50.909 It's about guarding the people themselves. And 00:03:50.909 --> 00:03:53.150 that actually leads perfectly into the eligibility 00:03:53.150 --> 00:03:55.889 for the Gold Star Medal. Because if the criteria 00:03:55.889 --> 00:03:57.849 are that broad, you might wonder who actually 00:03:57.849 --> 00:04:00.310 qualifies to receive it. You'd naturally assume 00:04:00.310 --> 00:04:02.849 it's just generals and combat soldiers. Exactly. 00:04:03.169 --> 00:04:05.770 You might expect an honor of this magnitude to 00:04:05.770 --> 00:04:07.990 be strictly military, locked away in those upper 00:04:07.990 --> 00:04:10.849 ranks. But the eligibility is remarkably broad. 00:04:11.090 --> 00:04:12.930 It includes the Azerbaijani government's civilian 00:04:12.930 --> 00:04:15.449 personnel and even standard everyday citizens. 00:04:16.060 --> 00:04:18.579 Which, again, reinforces that humanitarian aspect 00:04:18.579 --> 00:04:21.000 we just talked about. Bravery is not confined 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:23.839 to those in a military uniform. A civilian stepping 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:26.379 up in a moment of extreme crisis to protect the 00:04:26.379 --> 00:04:29.000 population is recognized at the exact same level 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:31.779 with the exact same honor as a soldier defending 00:04:31.779 --> 00:04:34.800 the sovereignty of the nation in combat. Here's 00:04:34.800 --> 00:04:37.939 where it gets really interesting. This medal. 00:04:38.360 --> 00:04:41.259 the absolute highest honor designating a national 00:04:41.259 --> 00:04:44.459 hero of Azerbaijan, can actually be awarded to 00:04:44.459 --> 00:04:47.850 Nong citizens. Yes. It is officially open to 00:04:47.850 --> 00:04:50.410 foreign civilians. I want you listening right 00:04:50.410 --> 00:04:52.629 now to just pause and imagine that scenario. 00:04:53.250 --> 00:04:55.930 Imagine what a foreign civilian, someone with 00:04:55.930 --> 00:04:58.629 no passport from this nation, no civic obligation 00:04:58.629 --> 00:05:01.569 to this country, no sworn duty would have to 00:05:01.569 --> 00:05:04.310 do to be officially declared a national hero 00:05:04.310 --> 00:05:06.350 of Azerbaijan. It's a staggering thought. What 00:05:06.350 --> 00:05:08.370 level of risk, what level of selfless action 00:05:08.370 --> 00:05:10.410 would compel a government to bestow its highest 00:05:10.410 --> 00:05:12.810 national honor on someone who isn't even a citizen? 00:05:13.209 --> 00:05:41.639 Exactly. It really is. I want to pivot from the 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:44.800 sweeping philosophy of the award to the actual 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:47.740 physical object itself, because the records go 00:05:47.740 --> 00:05:49.980 into incredible detail about the anatomy of this 00:05:49.980 --> 00:05:52.519 metal, and it has actually changed significantly 00:05:52.519 --> 00:05:54.699 over time. I want to try and paint a picture 00:05:54.699 --> 00:05:56.079 of this in your mind so you can really visualize 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:58.120 it. Imagine holding this in the palm of your 00:05:58.120 --> 00:06:00.540 hand right now. It helps to visualize it piece 00:06:00.540 --> 00:06:03.000 by piece to really understand the craftsmanship 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:04.800 and the specific aesthetic choices involved. 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:07.709 It's not just a chunk of metal. Right. Let's 00:06:07.709 --> 00:06:09.569 start with the original iteration of the metal, 00:06:09.670 --> 00:06:12.910 which was known as the Aoldus, or crescent and 00:06:12.910 --> 00:06:16.209 star metal. It featured a gold -filled crescent 00:06:16.209 --> 00:06:18.689 that faced to the right, and tightly enclosed 00:06:18.689 --> 00:06:21.050 within that crescent was an eight -pointed star. 00:06:21.490 --> 00:06:24.350 Now, the rays of this star weren't just flat, 00:06:24.490 --> 00:06:26.490 two -dimensional lines stamped out of metal. 00:06:26.629 --> 00:06:29.649 They were flat, dihedral rays on the front face. 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:32.180 And for those trying to picture a dihedral ray, 00:06:32.339 --> 00:06:35.220 imagine a tiny pitched roof. It means the rays 00:06:35.220 --> 00:06:37.500 of the star aren't just flat cutouts. They have 00:06:37.500 --> 00:06:40.459 a raised ridge down the middle, an angle. So 00:06:40.459 --> 00:06:42.740 they catch the ambient light from multiple directions 00:06:42.740 --> 00:06:45.500 in a very deliberate way. It gives the star a 00:06:45.500 --> 00:06:47.579 brilliant three -dimensional presence. That's 00:06:47.579 --> 00:06:49.279 a great way to describe it. It's designed to 00:06:49.279 --> 00:06:52.040 shine, to catch your eye instantly. And the reverse 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:54.579 side of that original metal was just as meticulously 00:06:54.579 --> 00:06:56.620 planned out. It had a perfectly flat surface 00:06:56.620 --> 00:06:59.959 and is bound with a thin fillet. Yeah, if you're 00:06:59.959 --> 00:07:02.180 wondering what a fillet is in this context, think 00:07:02.180 --> 00:07:05.300 of a tiny raised rim going right along the edge 00:07:05.300 --> 00:07:07.779 of the cutout, much like the raised edge on a 00:07:07.779 --> 00:07:10.339 coin you'd find in your pocket. On that rear 00:07:10.339 --> 00:07:12.839 side, perfectly centered, there was an inscription 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:16.240 reading, National Hero of Azerbaijan. But the 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:19.120 star itself is only half the object. The mechanics 00:07:19.120 --> 00:07:21.139 of how it was worn are also highly detailed. 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:24.220 Metals of this stature have an entire suspension 00:07:24.220 --> 00:07:26.860 system to attach them to the uniform. Yes. There 00:07:26.860 --> 00:07:29.600 were two tiny, one -millimeter shapes on the 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:32.199 upper edge of the metal itself. A ring connected 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:34.660 that gold crescent to four connected rhomboids. 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:37.680 And these rhomboids were then attached to a gold 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:40.550 -filled pentagonal plate. That pentagonal plate 00:07:40.550 --> 00:07:43.129 is a classic design element. You see it in many 00:07:43.129 --> 00:07:46.009 Eurasian state honors. It serves as a rigid backing 00:07:46.009 --> 00:07:48.629 for the ribbon, giving the entire metal a sharp, 00:07:48.769 --> 00:07:51.009 formal, geometric presence when it's pinned to 00:07:51.009 --> 00:07:54.149 a lapel or a uniform jacket. And the ribbon covering 00:07:54.149 --> 00:07:56.610 that plate is crucial to the whole look. The 00:07:56.610 --> 00:07:58.850 plate had two slits found on the sides of the 00:07:58.850 --> 00:08:01.230 block, and it was mostly covered with a tricolor 00:08:01.230 --> 00:08:03.620 moray ribbon. If you haven't seen a moiré ribbon, 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:06.860 it has that beautiful, wavy, watered silk appearance 00:08:06.860 --> 00:08:09.199 that catches the light almost like a hologram. 00:08:09.300 --> 00:08:11.699 It's very distinctive. Very. And the colors of 00:08:11.699 --> 00:08:14.079 that ribbon precisely match the blue, red, and 00:08:14.079 --> 00:08:17.540 green of the Azerbaijani flag. But of all these 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:19.459 meticulous details, here's the one that absolutely 00:08:19.459 --> 00:08:22.560 fascinated me the most. The total weight of this 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:25.220 original arrangement. With the gold crescent, 00:08:25.240 --> 00:08:27.720 the star, the plate, and the ribbon, it weighed 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:31.560 exactly 21 .5 grams. 21 .5 grams. To put that 00:08:31.560 --> 00:08:33.240 physical weight in perspective for you, that 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:35.360 is roughly the weight of four standard U .S. 00:08:35.360 --> 00:08:37.720 quarters. It is remarkably, almost surprisingly, 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:40.840 light in your hand. That's exactly it. Four quarters. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:42.799 You could drop that in your pocket, walk around 00:08:42.799 --> 00:08:44.679 all day, and completely forget it's even there. 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:48.639 It's nothing. Yet metaphorically, that 21 .5 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.039 grams carries the absolute heaviest weight a 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:53.940 nation can place upon a person's shoulders. The 00:08:53.940 --> 00:08:56.799 immense gratitude of an entire country, the recognition 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:00.360 of ultimate selfless bravery, all literally forged 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:03.779 into a mere 21 .5 grams of gold and silk ribbon. 00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:06.700 It is a brilliant juxtaposition. You have the 00:09:06.700 --> 00:09:09.399 physical lightness of the object contrasting 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:11.620 against the monumental heavy gravity of what 00:09:11.620 --> 00:09:14.019 it represents. But that original A. Old Dew's 00:09:14.019 --> 00:09:16.940 design, that Crescenton Star, wasn't the final 00:09:16.940 --> 00:09:19.659 version of the honor. The aesthetic of the nation's 00:09:19.659 --> 00:09:22.549 highest award evolved. Modifications and additions 00:09:22.549 --> 00:09:24.629 were made to the original parameters under a 00:09:24.629 --> 00:09:27.710 new decree, Decree No. 429. This was done to 00:09:27.710 --> 00:09:30.309 officially commemorate a national hero of Azerbaijan 00:09:30.309 --> 00:09:33.490 in a slightly different, updated form. Right. 00:09:33.570 --> 00:09:36.029 The evolution from the Ilduz to the current form, 00:09:36.149 --> 00:09:38.210 which is simply known as the Kizil Ilduz Medal 00:09:38.210 --> 00:09:40.690 or the Gold Star. So let's visualize the current, 00:09:40.769 --> 00:09:43.409 modernized version. It actually moved away from 00:09:43.409 --> 00:09:45.889 the crescent enclosure completely. The Kizil 00:09:45.889 --> 00:09:48.309 Ilduz Medal is now a prominent, stand -alone, 00:09:48.429 --> 00:09:51.629 eight -pointed star. It retains those same flat 00:09:51.629 --> 00:09:53.970 dihedral rays, that pitched roof design that 00:09:53.970 --> 00:09:57.549 catches the light, but it is now a larger 31 00:09:57.549 --> 00:10:00.730 .5 millimeter diameter star. A bit more substantial. 00:10:01.029 --> 00:10:03.309 Yeah. It's still attached to a pentagonal plate, 00:10:03.470 --> 00:10:05.909 which is bordered by a precise filly along the 00:10:05.909 --> 00:10:08.350 perimeter, and it's equipped with two eye rings 00:10:08.350 --> 00:10:10.980 for suspension. And the ribbon remains a central 00:10:10.980 --> 00:10:14.000 defining feature. The inner side of that pentagonal 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:16.620 plate is covered with that same beautiful moiré 00:10:16.620 --> 00:10:19.320 ribbon, again proudly corresponding to the tricolor 00:10:19.320 --> 00:10:22.159 of the Azerbaijani flag. It maintains that visual 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:24.779 link to the nation's core identity. There was 00:10:24.779 --> 00:10:27.100 also a notable update to the reverse side of 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:29.139 the medal. The inscription on the back was updated 00:10:29.139 --> 00:10:31.620 to the native language. So in the center of the 00:10:31.620 --> 00:10:33.960 rear side of the current star, it proudly reads, 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:39.460 The linguistic records even preserve the exact 00:10:39.460 --> 00:10:41.200 phonetic pronunciation for the metal's name. 00:10:41.320 --> 00:10:43.559 In the International Phonetic Alphabet, it's 00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:47.240 roughly pronounced, That's a wonderful detail. 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.360 It really is. The historical and institutional 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:52.279 record preserves not just the physical look and 00:10:52.279 --> 00:10:54.799 dimensions of the metal, but the exact sound 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:57.940 of its name in its native tongue. It roots the 00:10:57.940 --> 00:11:00.139 object deeply in the culture. And where this 00:11:00.139 --> 00:11:02.639 physical object rests on the human body is strictly 00:11:02.639 --> 00:11:14.539 regulated by protocol. Pinned over the heart, 00:11:14.600 --> 00:11:17.059 right at the top. Exactly. And placing it physically 00:11:17.059 --> 00:11:19.860 above all other decorations is the visual language 00:11:19.860 --> 00:11:23.399 of supreme importance. It dictates a clear hierarchy. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:25.899 It says that no matter what else you have achieved 00:11:25.899 --> 00:11:28.080 in your military career or your civilian life, 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:30.559 no matter what other honors or commendations 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:33.080 you have collected over decades of service, this 00:11:33.080 --> 00:11:36.730 specific act heroism, this 31 .5 millimeter star 00:11:36.730 --> 00:11:39.549 is the absolute pinnacle of your service to the 00:11:39.549 --> 00:11:42.389 nation. It visually outranks everything else 00:11:42.389 --> 00:11:45.269 on your uniform. That visual hierarchy is so 00:11:45.269 --> 00:11:48.029 incredibly powerful. And speaking of hierarchy. 00:11:48.620 --> 00:11:50.559 I think we have to pull back and look at the 00:11:50.559 --> 00:11:53.100 broader ecosystem of honors within the country 00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:56.100 to really contextualize where the gold star sits. 00:11:56.379 --> 00:11:58.299 Yeah. Because when you look at the full list 00:11:58.299 --> 00:12:00.919 of Azerbaijani orders and medals, you realize 00:12:00.919 --> 00:12:04.200 it is a massive, highly structured system. Context 00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:06.740 is everything with state honors. You cannot fully 00:12:06.740 --> 00:12:09.659 understand the profound value of one award without 00:12:09.659 --> 00:12:11.879 seeing the landscape of all the others. It's 00:12:11.879 --> 00:12:14.539 an ecosystem of values. So what does this all 00:12:14.539 --> 00:12:16.799 mean? Well, I was looking at the official table 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:19.679 of precedence, assuming that the Gold Star Medal, 00:12:19.799 --> 00:12:22.080 the ultimate award for a national hero, would 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:24.500 be at the absolute undisputed top of the list. 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:26.960 Number one, without question. Actually, you would 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:29.059 think so. But it's actually not. In the official 00:12:29.059 --> 00:12:31.379 hierarchy, the Gold Star Medal sits just below 00:12:31.379 --> 00:12:33.889 the hero of the Patriotic War Medal. That is 00:12:33.889 --> 00:12:36.110 a critical piece of institutional structure, 00:12:36.230 --> 00:12:38.950 and it's quite revealing. It tells us that while 00:12:38.950 --> 00:12:41.429 the general national hero designation is extraordinarily 00:12:41.429 --> 00:12:45.610 high, there is a specific context -bound medal, 00:12:45.789 --> 00:12:48.990 the hero of the patriotic war, that takes ultimate 00:12:48.990 --> 00:12:52.250 superseding precedence. It shows how massive 00:12:52.250 --> 00:12:55.210 historical events and specific conflicts shape 00:12:55.210 --> 00:12:57.909 the literal formalized ranking of a nation's 00:12:57.909 --> 00:13:00.809 values. Sometimes a specific historical moment 00:13:00.809 --> 00:13:03.750 is so defining that its corresponding honor outranks 00:13:03.750 --> 00:13:06.570 even the highest general commendations. And when 00:13:06.570 --> 00:13:08.389 you look at the rest of the medals in that hierarchy, 00:13:08.649 --> 00:13:11.649 it's like reading a rich, complex tapestry of 00:13:11.649 --> 00:13:14.460 the nation's history. Major civil and military 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:16.940 orders like the Daslag Order, the Karabakh Order, 00:13:17.059 --> 00:13:19.340 and the Shah Ismail Order. But the specific metal 00:13:19.340 --> 00:13:21.519 section is where it gets incredibly granular. 00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:24.220 Granular is the perfect word. The specific metals 00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:26.679 serve as a geographical and chronological map 00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:29.200 of the country's priorities, its struggles, and 00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:31.580 its foundational institutions over time. Right. 00:13:31.740 --> 00:13:33.799 For example, you have the four -faultless service 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:36.659 metal. which is a classic, universally understood 00:13:36.659 --> 00:13:39.539 military recognition of longevity, discipline, 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:42.080 and keeping your nose clean over a long career. 00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:45.139 You have the Brave Warrior Medal, the Four Distinction 00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:47.419 and Battle Medal, the Four Heroism Medal. Those 00:13:47.419 --> 00:13:50.320 are broad, action -based commendations. But then 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:53.440 you hit this astonishing list of highly specific 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:56.299 liberation medals. And I'm just going to read 00:13:56.299 --> 00:13:58.320 a few of them so you can really get a sense of 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:00.519 this focus. There is the medal for the liberation 00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:03.139 of Agdam, the medal for the liberation of Fizuli, 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:05.519 Guguli, Jebrail, Kalbajar. And you can see it. 00:14:05.850 --> 00:14:09.250 Just by the sheer volume of these, Kojovin, Lagarn, 00:14:09.409 --> 00:14:12.950 Shusha, Sugavushan, Zangilan, it goes on. Exactly. 00:14:12.950 --> 00:14:15.190 It's an incredibly extensive list. If we connect 00:14:15.190 --> 00:14:16.789 this to the bigger picture, you can essentially 00:14:16.789 --> 00:14:19.169 read the modern history of Azerbaijan just by 00:14:19.169 --> 00:14:21.450 looking at this list of honors. Each of those 00:14:21.450 --> 00:14:23.549 liberation medals you just named represents a 00:14:23.549 --> 00:14:26.669 highly specific localized campaign. By minting 00:14:26.669 --> 00:14:28.990 a unique, distinct metal for each individual 00:14:28.990 --> 00:14:32.090 region or town, the state is permanently linking 00:14:32.090 --> 00:14:34.850 the overarching abstract concept of national 00:14:34.850 --> 00:14:38.070 defense to these very real, specific pieces of 00:14:38.070 --> 00:14:41.409 earth. They are immortalizing the geography into 00:14:41.409 --> 00:14:43.889 the state's highest honors. It grounds the abstract 00:14:43.889 --> 00:14:47.610 idea of sovereignty into literal dirt and stone. 00:14:47.789 --> 00:14:49.809 You didn't just fight for the country, you fought 00:14:49.809 --> 00:14:52.440 for this specific town. And it's not just geography 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:54.820 that they memorialize. It's also deep institutional 00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:57.840 memory. The list of medals includes honors like 00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:00.080 the 100th anniversary of the Azerbaijani police, 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:03.240 the Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University 100th 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:05.679 anniversary medal, the Baku State University 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:08.279 100th anniversary medal. It even includes the 00:15:08.279 --> 00:15:10.340 100th anniversary of the diplomatic service bodies 00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:13.480 and the Azerbaijani Army 100th anniversary medal. 00:15:13.620 --> 00:15:15.559 What you are seeing in those anniversary medals 00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:19.070 is profound institutional pride. When a relatively 00:15:19.070 --> 00:15:21.789 young modern nation issues formalized medals 00:15:21.789 --> 00:15:24.149 to commemorate the centennials of its police 00:15:24.149 --> 00:15:26.669 force, its army, its diplomatic corps, and its 00:15:26.669 --> 00:15:29.350 universities, it is aggressively cementing the 00:15:29.350 --> 00:15:32.090 legitimacy and the longevity of its civil society. 00:15:32.389 --> 00:15:34.710 It is a way of communicating to the world and 00:15:34.710 --> 00:15:37.309 to its own people, we are not just a nation defined 00:15:37.309 --> 00:15:40.169 by defense and conflict, we are a nation of enduring 00:15:40.169 --> 00:15:43.389 century -old institutions. That's a brilliant 00:15:43.389 --> 00:15:45.470 way to look at it. And the Gold Star Medal, the 00:15:45.470 --> 00:15:48.980 Cajal Deuce, exists within... this massive, complex, 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:51.879 highly structured ecosystem. It floats near the 00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:54.139 very top of a sea of honors that recognize everything 00:15:54.139 --> 00:15:56.820 from 100 years of university teaching to the 00:15:56.820 --> 00:15:59.279 specific liberation of a single town. It takes 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:01.639 a remarkable transcendent act of courage, whether 00:16:01.639 --> 00:16:03.860 by an everyday citizen, a soldier, or even a 00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:05.919 foreign civilian, to rise through that intricate 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:08.740 hierarchy and be awarded the gold star. Which 00:16:08.740 --> 00:16:10.980 ultimately brings us back to the human element 00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:14.840 of all this. The decrees, the specific millimeters 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:18.259 of the star, the dihedral rays, the 21 .5 grams 00:16:18.259 --> 00:16:20.720 of weight, those are just the physical manifestations. 00:16:20.740 --> 00:16:23.779 They are the artifacts. But the true core of 00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:25.679 what we are looking at today is about the flesh 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.810 and blood people who actually wear them. Absolutely. 00:16:28.810 --> 00:16:31.269 We've gone on quite a journey today, unpacking 00:16:31.269 --> 00:16:33.409 how a nation translates its highest ideals of 00:16:33.409 --> 00:16:35.889 gratitude and courage into a tangible physical 00:16:35.889 --> 00:16:39.110 object. We've seen how a piece of gold shaped 00:16:39.110 --> 00:16:41.889 into an eight -pointed star and hung from a tricolor 00:16:41.889 --> 00:16:44.509 moiré ribbon can carry the ultimate weight of 00:16:44.509 --> 00:16:46.809 a society's respect. We've learned that this 00:16:46.809 --> 00:16:49.009 recognition isn't closed off behind borders or 00:16:49.009 --> 00:16:52.610 passports, but is remarkably, beautifully accessible 00:16:52.610 --> 00:16:54.929 even to foreign civilians who risk everything 00:16:54.929 --> 00:16:57.669 to protect others. It really is a testament to 00:16:57.669 --> 00:17:00.549 the idea that true courage is a universal language 00:17:00.549 --> 00:17:03.629 that any nation can recognize. This raises an 00:17:03.629 --> 00:17:05.730 important question, and it's tied to one tiny, 00:17:06.029 --> 00:17:08.490 almost easily missed, but profoundly moving detail 00:17:08.490 --> 00:17:10.690 mentioned in the official design parameters of 00:17:10.690 --> 00:17:13.150 the current metal. It is noted that a serial 00:17:13.150 --> 00:17:15.410 number is etched directly onto the upper ray 00:17:15.410 --> 00:17:17.609 of the reverse side of the star. Just a simple 00:17:17.609 --> 00:17:20.589 serial number. Yes. It is so easy to talk about 00:17:20.589 --> 00:17:23.410 this metal as an abstract concept, as a piece 00:17:23.410 --> 00:17:26.089 of statecraft or historical trivia. But that 00:17:26.089 --> 00:17:28.450 serial number reminds us that this is a tangible, 00:17:28.589 --> 00:17:31.660 finite reality. Somewhere out there, there is 00:17:31.660 --> 00:17:34.299 an exact, specific number of these heroes walking 00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:37.099 around in the world. Each one carries a unique, 00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:39.480 sequential number etched permanently into the 00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:42.059 gold they wear over their hearts. And it leaves 00:17:42.059 --> 00:17:44.519 you to ponder the hidden, deeply human element 00:17:44.519 --> 00:17:47.359 of that detail. Knowing that somewhere out there, 00:17:47.460 --> 00:17:50.000 walking among us, there is an exact, finite group 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:52.359 of people who earned this. And someone out there 00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:54.880 bears the incredibly heavy, unseen, and profound 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:57.539 burden of wearing gold star medal number one. 00:17:57.700 --> 00:18:00.069 What a thought to end on. to know that somewhere, 00:18:00.349 --> 00:18:03.150 that very first serial number exists, quietly 00:18:03.150 --> 00:18:05.269 carrying the weight of an entire nation's gratitude 00:18:05.269 --> 00:18:08.809 and legacy of 1992. We hope this deep dive gave 00:18:08.809 --> 00:18:10.710 you a new perspective on the history, the design, 00:18:10.890 --> 00:18:12.809 and the immense humanity hidden behind the medals 00:18:12.809 --> 00:18:15.509 we so rarely look closely at. Thank you so much 00:18:15.509 --> 00:18:17.250 for joining us, for being curious, and as always, 00:18:17.390 --> 00:18:17.829 keep learning.