BY DNA NEWS AGENCY

On August 26, the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva marks birthday . Mehriban Aliyeva was born in Baku on 26 August 1964. In 1982. She graduated from the secondary school No. 23 in the city of Baku with distinction and entered Azerbaijan State Medical Institute named after Nariman Narimanov, Preventive-Treatment Faculty.

Mehriban Aliyeva has been married to Ilham Aliyev in 1983. They have three children: Leyla, Arzu and Heydar and five grandchildren. In 1988, she graduated from the First Moscow State Medical Institute named after M.Sechenov with distinction. In 1988-1992, she worked at the Eye Diseases Scientific Research Institute in Moscow.

In 1995, Mehriban Aliyeva founded “Azerbaijani Culture Foundation”, which she currently heads. In 1996, Mehriban Aliyeva founded “Azerbaijan – Heritage” magazine, which is published in three languages (Azerbaijani, English and Russian) in order to widely promote the Azerbaijani culture. In October 2002, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected as President of Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation.

Mehriban Aliyeva has headed the Heydar Aliyev Foundation since 2004, which was founded to study the rich political legacy and promote the national statehood ideas of national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. In August 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was named Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO for her role in protection and development of Azerbaijan’s intangible folk literature and national musical legacy.

In December 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected as a member of the Executive Committee of NOC at the 4th General Assembly of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Mehriban Aliyeva has been a member of the New Azerbaijan Party’s Political Council since 2004, and deputy chairman of the party since 2013. In 2005, Mehriban Aliyeva received an academic degree of PhD in Philosophy.

In this direction, Heydar Aliyev Foundation under her leadership has performed instrumental role in the construction of new hospitals, schools, colleges across Azerbaijan. The Thalassemia Center provides free of cost treatment and was constructed in Baku in 2007. The Foundation initiated a national campaign for breastfeeding and holds summer camps for the integration of disabled children into society.

In the cultural sphere, Mehriban Aliyeva took steps in preserving Mugham — the traditional classical music of Azerbaijan. The Foundation became instrumental in the establishment of an International Mugham Centre in Baku.

In 2005, 2010 and 2015, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected as a Member of Parliament at the third, fourth and fifth convocation of the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In November 2006, Mehriban Aliyeva was named Goodwill Ambassador of ISESCO for her outstanding contribution to humanitarian area, including the development of dialogue among civilizations and cultures, promotion of Islamic cultural legacy and for her tremendous role in addressing problems of children with special needs.

At the 4th Congress of the World Azerbaijanis held in Baku in June 2016, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected as a member of the World Azerbaijanis Coordination Board. On February 21, 2017, Mehriban Aliyeva was appointed as First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This terminated her power as a Member of Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan on March 6, 2017.

Mehriban Aliyeva`s awards and honorary titles: Heydar Aliyev Order (Republic of Azerbaijan); Order of the Legion of Honor (French Republic); Grand Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Polish Republic; Hilal-e Pakistan Order of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; the Sreten Order (Serbian Republic); Commander’s Cross Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary; UNESCO’s Golden Mozart Medal, the UN World Intellectual Property Organization’s gold medal; Gold Medal and “Prix de la Fondation” Prize of the Crans Montana Forum; High Order of the European Olympic Committees; Honorary Diploma of the State of Kuwait; Heydar Aliyev Award; Executive Board Award of World Health Organization; Golden Heart international award; Olympic Excellence Special Honorary Prize of the International Olympic Academy; Turkish-German Friendship Federation Award, Order of Friendship of Russian Federation; Honorary professor of Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, honorary doctor of the Veliko Tyrnovo University named after Saints Cyril and Methodius (Bulgaria).

RELATIONS WITH PAKISTAN

As  a manifestation of good relations between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, the Heydar Aliyev Foundation started its charitable activities in Pakistan soon after the disastrous earthquake of 2005. The natural calamity left Muzaffarabad (AJK) in ruins and flattened the school in Rara settlement.  Mehriban Aliyeva took an initiative to build a new modern school for girls in place of destroyed one in Rara. Consequently a school for 500 girls was built. The Foundation regularly provides the school with school materials, books, computers and other means.

The First Lady of Azerbaijan carried out a series of health care, education and humanitarian projects in the provinces of Pakistan. Hepatitis B vaccination and the open-heart surgeries were implemented in collaboration with Kulsum International Hospital at Edhi Home, Akbar Care Institute for Cerebral Palsy in Peshawar, Women and Children Hospital at Lakki Marwat. The Foundation joined the celebrations on the World Blood Donor Day in Peshawar, trying to raise awareness of safe blood and blood products, which are much needed.

She also donated a fully equipped ambulance and thousands of blood collection bags to the Hamza Foundation that handles safe blood transfusion for the beneficiaries on a voluntary basis. During the Holy Month of Ramazan, the Foundation hosted the iftari dinners, involving more than twelve hundred beneficiaries of Pakistan Sweet Home (Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal) orphanages in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Larkana, Nawabshah, Quetta, Zhob, Peshawar. In September 2016, a charity event was held in “Anjuman Faiz-ul-Islam” Orphanage, Rawalpindi on Eidul-Adha. Sacrificial animals were offered in Islamabad and Rawalpindi on the days of Eid-ulAdha for the residents of orphanages and other needy people.

In August, 2017, on the initiative of Mehriban Aliyeva, a charitable action was held in the National Institute for Special Education, Islamabad. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation gifted teaching accessories, e-tablets, and various toys to children with different abilities. It is clear that the social and humanitarian projects by Mehriban Aliyeva implemented in Pakistan are manifestations of her sincere attitude towards Pakistan.

President of Pakistan is also lauded contributions of Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the area of humanitarian cooperation and assistance given to several Pakistani social welfare institutions and charitable organizations since 2005. In a special function at the President House for special children hosted by President Dr. Arif Alvi in 1st of June 2019 he appreciated initiatives taken by First Lady of Azerbaijan since 2005 and noted support given by her for realization of charitable projects of Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Pakistan.

The function was organized by Azerbaijan embassy by the support of Heydar Aliyev Foundation .

UN GOODWILL AMBASSADOR

Mehriban Aliyeva, the First Vice President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and and President of the Foundation Heydar Aliyev founded “Azerbaijan – Heritage” magazine, which is published in three languages (Azerbaijani, English and Russian) in order to widely promote the Azerbaijani culture.

In 2002, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected president of the Gymnastics Federation of Azerbaijan. On 28 December 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected a member to the Executive Committee of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the 4th General Assembly of the Organization. In August 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was named Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO for her role in protection and development of Azerbaijan’s intangible folk literature and national musical legacy.

As UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Mrs Aliyeva supports the Organization’s activities for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, especially oral traditions and expressions, performing arts and traditional craftsmanship.

Mrs Aliyeva is also concerned by the problems of early childhood. Her commitment and charitable works in this domain include the renovation and modernization of an orphanage in Azerbaijan as well as the opening of a music school and the provision of treatment for children suffering from diabetes.