Azerbaijan’s First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva marks her birthday today

Baku. 26 August. REPORT.AZ/ Azerbaijani First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Good-Will Ambassador and Member of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Mehriban Aliyeva marks her birthday today. Report informs, M. Aliyeva was born in Baku, in a famous family of Azerbaijan. Her father Arif Pashayev is Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and the rector of the National Aviation Academy in Baku. Her mother Aida Imanguliyeva was a prominent philologist and Arabist.

In 1982, M. Aliyeva entered the preventive-treatment faculty of Azerbaijan State Medical Institute named after N.Narimanov and in 1988 graduated with honorary diploma from the 1st Moscow State Medical Institute named after M.Sechenov.

In 1995 by the initiative of M. Aliyeva Friends of Azerbaijani Culture Foundation, which is headed by her at present time, was created. In 1996 M. Aliyeva founded "Azerbaijan -- Heritage" magazine, which is published in three languages (Azerbaijani, English and Russian), on purpose of wide propaganda of Azerbaijani culture. 

M. Aliyeva heads Heydar Aliyev Foundation. 

Due to her hard efforts in protection and development of Azerbaijan’s oral folk literature and music heritage, she was awarded the title of Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO on August 13, 2004.

In 2002 M. Aliyeva was elected the President of Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation. In 2013, she was elected deputy chairperson of the New Azerbaijan Party.

On November 24, 2006, M. Aliyeva was awarded the title of Goodwill Ambassador of ISESCO. She is a candidate of sciences of philosophy and author of one monograph, 4 books and several scholarly articles. She knows the Russian and English languages.

M. Aliyeva is a member of the Azerbaijani Parliament since 2005.

M. Aliyeva was awarded the title of "Woman of Year" according to the sociologic poll held in Azerbaijan in 2005 by the National Hero Chingiz Mustafayev Foundation and ANS Group of Companies, for her contribution to the development of the country's education system and on the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage; the issues on enhancing the image of the people of Azerbaijan in foreign countries; holding the 27th World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Azerbaijan in a high-level and large-scale charity activities.

She is a granddaughter of writer Mir Jalal Pashayev.

M. Aliyeva married the current president Ilham Aliyev in 1983. She has two daughters, Leyla and Arzu and a son Heydar. She also has three grandchildren, Mikayil, Ali and Aydin.