Today marks the birthday of the First Vice President of Azerbaijan and the country's First Lady, Mehriban Aliyeva.
Operative Information Center-OMM notes that Mehriban Arif gizi Aliyeva was born on August 26, 1964, in Baku, into a family of intellectuals.
In 1981, she graduated from secondary school No. 23 in Baku with a gold medal and enrolled in the treatment-prophylaxis faculty of the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute named after N. Narimanov. In 1988, she graduated with honors from the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical Institute.
From 1988 to 1990, she completed a clinical residency in ophthalmology at the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical Institute. Between 1990 and 1995, she worked at the Scientific Research Institute of Eye Diseases in Moscow under the leadership of Academician Krasnov.
In 1995, on the initiative of Mehriban Aliyeva, the Azerbaijan Culture Foundation, which she currently leads, was established. In 1996, she founded the "Azerbaijan - Heritage" magazine, published in three languages (Azerbaijani, English, and Russian), to promote Azerbaijani culture globally.
On October 7, 2002, she was elected president of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation (AGF). Under her leadership, the number of gymnastics disciplines in the country expanded from four to nine. Azerbaijani gymnasts have since achieved success at the Olympic Games, as well as World and European Championships. In 2014, the National Gymnastics Arena, considered one of the unique sports facilities in the world, was commissioned for training and competitions.
Mehriban Aliyeva leads the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which was established to study the rich legacy of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people and to instill the ideals of national statehood created by Heydar Aliyev in new generations.
On August 13, 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her tireless efforts in preserving and developing Azerbaijan's oral folk literature and musical heritage. On November 15, 2022, she addressed a letter to the UNESCO Director-General requesting the termination of her tenure as a Goodwill Ambassador.
Throughout her distinguished career, Mehriban Aliyeva has received numerous international awards, including the "Golden Heart" international award, the "Legion of Honour" (France), and the "Heydar Aliyev" Order, the highest state award of Azerbaijan, which she received in 2015 for her contributions to the development of culture, education, healthcare, and sports in the country.
On February 21, 2017, by the decree of President Ilham Aliyev, Mehriban Aliyeva was appointed First Vice President of Azerbaijan. She has been married to President Ilham Aliyev since 1983.
