Today is the birthday of the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, First Lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva

Mehriban Arif gizi Aliyeva was born in Baku in 1964.

In 1981, 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.

In 1988, she graduated from the First Moscow State Medical Institute named after M.Sechenov with distinction.

In 1988-1990, she passed clinical residency in Eye Diseases department at the First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov.

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 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 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); (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).