Mehriban Aliyeva, first lady of Azerbaijan, President of the Heydar
Aliyev Fund, the Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO, parliament
member, is marking her birthday today.
Mehriban Aliyeva was born in Baku. Her father Arif Mir Jalal oglu
Pashayev, was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, PhD for
physics and maths, head of the National Academy of Aviation. Her
mother Aida Nasir gyzy Imanguliyeva studied the Orient, was a PhD for
Philology, director of the Institute for Orient Studies of the
National Academy of Sciences and a specialist in Arab literature.
Aliyeva left school with a golden medal in 1982, entered the State
Medical Institute of Narimanov. Then she entered the First Moscow
State Medical Institute of Sechenov, graduating in 1988. She worked at
the Moscow Research Institute for Eye Diseases in 1988-1992.
She founded the Fund of Friends of Azerbaijani Culture in mid-90s.
Then Aliyeva became the head of the Heydar Aliyev Fund, founded on May
10, 2004. The fund specializes in education, healthcare, culture,
social support.
Mehriban Aliyeva founded the museum of Modern Art in Baku.
The Heydar Aliyev Fund operates in other states as well.
Vice-President of the fund Leyla hanym Aliyeva hosted a forum on
globalization issues in Baku in June. It opened a ceremony to mark the
20th independence anniversary of Azerbaijan and presentation of the
book about Azerbaijan in Paris on February 17, 2011. French Culture
Minister Frederic Mitteran was at the ceremony.
Moscow hosted a ceremony called "Evening of Azerbaijan" on May
17,2011, to mark the 20th anniversary of independence. It was held at
the State Kremlin Palace. Aliyeva and first lady of Russia Svetlana
Medvedeva were at the meeting.
Mehriban Aliyeva received a Ruby Cross of the Russian International
Fund "Philanthropists of the Century" for philanthropy and support of
education in culture in 2005. The World Healthcare Organization
awarded her for protection of health of mothers, children and family.
She also received the Golden Heart in 2007.
Mehriban Aliyeva has two daughters, Leyla and Arza, son Heydar and
grandchildren Mikyil and Ali.
