Mehriban Arif gizi Aliyeva
Mehriban Arif gizi Aliyeva was born in Baku on August 26, 1964.
In 1981, she graduated with distinction from Secondary School No. 23 in the city of Baku and entered the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute named after Nariman Narimanov, Faculty of Preventive Treatment.
In 1988, she graduated with distinction from the First Moscow State Medical Institute named after M.Sechenov.
From 1988 to 1990, she completed her clinical residency in the Department of Eye Diseases at the First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov.
Between 1990 and 1995, 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 Azerbaijani culture.
In October 2002, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected President of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation.
Since 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva has led the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which was established to study the rich political legacy and promote the ideas of national leader Heydar Aliyev regarding national statehood.
In August 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her role in protecting and developing Azerbaijan's intangible folk literature and national musical heritage. In November 2022, Mehriban Aliyeva formally requested the termination of her duties as a Goodwill Ambassador by addressing a letter to the UNESCO Director-General.
In December 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected a member of the Executive Committee of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the Republic of Azerbaijan during its 4th General Assembly.
Mehriban Aliyeva has been a member of the New Azerbaijan Party's Political Council since 2004, and Deputy Chairman of the party since 2013. Mehriban Aliyeva has been First Deputy Chairman of the party since 2021.
In 2005, Mehriban Aliyeva received an academic degree of PhD in Philosophy.
In 2005, 2010 and 2015, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected as a Member of Parliament during the third, fourth, and fifth convocations of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
In November 2006, Mehriban Aliyeva was named an ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her outstanding contributions to the humanitarian field, 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 World Azerbaijanis, held in Baku in June 2016, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected a member of the World Azerbaijanis Coordination Board.
On February 21, 2017, Mehriban Aliyeva was appointed 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 is married, and has two daughters, a son, and five grandchildren.
Decorations, awards, and honorary titles:
Heydar Aliyev Order (Republic of Azerbaijan); Order of the Legion of Honor (French Republic); Order of Friendship (Russian Federation); the highest Papal Order of Knighthood - Order of Pope Pius IX (Vatican); Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (Italian Republic), Grand Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit (Republic of Poland); Hilal-e Pakistan Order (Islamic Republic of Pakistan); the Sreten Order (Republic of Serbia); Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary; Order of the Saint Equal to the Apostles Duchess Olga of the 2nd Degree (Russian Orthodox Church); Order of Merit of the Astrakhan Region (Russian Federation); UNESCO Golden Mozart Medal, Gold Medal of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization; Gold Medal and "Prix de la Fondation" Prize of the Crans Montana Forum; High Order of the European Olympic Committees; Special Service Award of the International Fair Play Committee; Gold Medal of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center; Honorary Diploma of the State of Kuwait;
Heydar Aliyev Award; Executive Board Award of the World Health Organization; “Golden Heart” International Award; “Olympic Excellence” Special Honorary Prize of the International Olympic Academy; Turkish-German Friendship Federation Award;
Honorary professor of I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, honorary doctor of the St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria).
