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

Operativ Media notes that Mehriban Arif qizi Aliyeva was born on August 26, 1964, into an intellectual family in Baku.

In 1981, she graduated from Baku Secondary School No. 23 with a gold medal and entered the Faculty of Treatment and Prevention of the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute named after N. Narimanov. In 1988, she graduated with honors from the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical Institute.

From 1988 to 1990, she completed her clinical residency in ophthalmology at the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical Institute. Between 1990 and 1995, she worked at the Research Institute of Eye Diseases in Moscow under the leadership of Academician Krasnov.

In 1995, the Azerbaijan Culture Foundation, which she currently heads, was established on the initiative of Mehriban Aliyeva. In 1996, she founded the "Azerbaijan - Heritage" magazine, published in three languages (Azerbaijani, English, and Russian), to widely promote Azerbaijani culture.

On October 7, 2002, she was elected president of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation (AGF). While the AGF's activities included the development of four gymnastics disciplines that year, today nine gymnastics disciplines are being developed in the country. Azerbaijani gymnasts have participated in the Olympic Games and won medals at World and European Championships. Since 2014, the National Gymnastics Arena, considered one of the unique sports facilities in the world, has been at the disposal of gymnasts for training and competitions.

Mehriban Aliyeva heads the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which was established to study the rich heritage of the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people and to continuously instill the ideas of national statehood created by Heydar Aliyev in new generations.

On August 13, 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was named a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her tireless efforts in preserving and developing Azerbaijan's oral folk literature and musical heritage. On November 15, 2022, she addressed a letter to the Director-General of UNESCO to terminate her activities as a Goodwill Ambassador.

On December 28, 2004, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected a member of the Executive Committee of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) at the 4th General Assembly of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

In March 2005, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the international "Caspian Energy Integration Award-2005" in the category of "Public Figure of 2004."

According to a sociological survey conducted in Azerbaijan in 2005, Mehriban Aliyeva was named "Woman of the Year."

On June 9, 2005, she was awarded the "Ruby Cross" Order of Russia's "Patrons of the Century" International Charity Fund for her public, philanthropic, and charitable activities, her support for educational and cultural institutions, and her significant contributions to strengthening friendship between the peoples of Russia and Azerbaijan.

In 2005, she defended her thesis on "Euthanasia and the Problem of Humanism in Medicine" and received the degree of Candidate of Philosophical Sciences.

On November 6, 2005, Mehriban Aliyeva, nominated by the New Azerbaijan Party from the Azizbayov (now Khazar) Second Constituency No. 14 in the parliamentary elections, was elected a Member of Parliament, winning 92.12% (23,106 votes) of the vote.

The National Hero Chingiz Mustafayev Foundation and the ANS Group of Companies declared Mehriban Aliyeva "Person of the Year 2005" for her services to the development of the country's education system, the preservation and global promotion of national cultural heritage, her work to strengthen the positive image of Azerbaijan abroad, the high-level organization and hosting of the 27th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championship in the country, and her large-scale charitable activities.

In March 2006, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the Gold Medal of the UN World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for her contributions to the preservation of cultural and spiritual values.

On November 23, 2006, Mehriban Aliyeva was named an ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her wide-ranging and selfless activities in various fields, including inter-civilizational dialogue, her attention to children in need of care, her support for improving their living conditions and education, as well as her great support for projects in the Islamic world.

By the unanimous decision of the 120th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board held in Geneva on January 29, 2007, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the prize of this international organization for her exceptional services in protecting and strengthening maternal, child, and family health.

In May 2007, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the international "Golden Heart" award for her large-scale charitable activities and high achievements in serving the noble ideals of humanity.

By decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated May 5, 2009, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the Heydar Aliyev Prize for her fruitful activities in the socio-political and cultural life of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

On September 14, 2009, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for her services to the development of friendly relations between Azerbaijan and Poland.

On February 15, 2010, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the Officer's Class of the National Order of the Legion of Honour by decree of the President of the French Republic for her services and loyalty to France.

On July 30, 2010, Mehriban Aliyeva was presented with the UNESCO "Mozart Gold Medal."

On November 7, 2010, Mehriban Aliyeva, nominated by the New Azerbaijan Party from the Khazar Second Constituency No. 14 in the parliamentary elections, was elected a Member of Parliament, winning 94.49% (31,797 votes) of the vote.

On June 24, 2011, Mehriban Aliyeva was presented with the Gold Medal of the Crans Montana Forum, and on June 29, 2012, she received the "Prix de la Fondation" award.

On February 13, 2012, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the title of Honorary Professor of the I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Russian Federation.

On April 13, 2012, Mehriban Aliyeva was presented with the "Stars of the Commonwealth" Interstate Award by the Council for Humanitarian Cooperation (CHC) of the CIS Member States and the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation (IFHC) of the CIS Member States.

In 2012, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the highest "Cossack Glory" ("Kazatskaya slava") award by the Union of Cossacks of Azerbaijan "for her compassion, kindness, tireless activities for the well-being of peoples, and assistance to the Cossacks."

On December 8, 2012, the General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees decided to hold the 1st European Games in Baku in 2015. To organize the First European Games at a high level, an Organizing Committee was established on January 17, 2013, and Mehriban Aliyeva was appointed its chairperson.

In January 2013, Pakistan's influential "Daily Times" newspaper and the Women Volunteers Organization declared Mehriban Aliyeva the "Symbol of Humanism - Person of the Year 2012."

On June 7, 2013, she was elected Deputy Chairperson of the New Azerbaijan Party.

On December 27, 2013, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded Pakistan's "Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women Excellence Award - 2013."

According to the results of a joint survey conducted by the French Center for Arab Cultural Heritage and Egypt's "Nefertiti Media Productions" from March 8, 2013, to January 10, 2014, Mehriban Aliyeva was named the most influential woman of 2014.

In May 2014, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the honorary award of the Turkish-German Friendship Federation for her contributions to inter-civilizational dialogue, as well as for promoting the Turkic world in Germany and her services to the development of Azerbaijani-German relations.

In May 2014, she was awarded the "First Lady of the Year" award by "The Business Year" magazine for her active participation in the public, social, and cultural life of Azerbaijan, her important contributions to the dynamic development of society, her invaluable services in promoting Azerbaijani culture worldwide, as well as her comprehensive support for the preservation of world cultural heritage, and her commitment to the principles of social justice and humanism.

In June 2014, she was awarded the "Olympic Excellence" special honorary award of the International Olympic Academy for her services in promoting Olympic values.

In August 2014, she was awarded the Order "For Services to the Astrakhan Oblast" and the Honorary Diploma of the State of Kuwait for her extensive promotion of Islamic cultural heritage worldwide, her noble charitable activities in Azerbaijan and abroad, and her great contributions to education and medicine.

On February 11, 2015, she was awarded the "Hilal-e-Pakistan" high order of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

On March 26, 2015, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the high state award of the Republic of Serbia - the Order of Sretenje (Sreten) - for her special services to Serbia in the public, cultural, and humanitarian fields.

By decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev dated June 29, 2015, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the "Heydar Aliyev" Order for her fruitful activities in the development of culture, education, healthcare, and sports in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the broad promotion of the cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people on an international scale, and her great services in organizing the first European Games.

On November 1, 2015, Mehriban Aliyeva, nominated by the New Azerbaijan Party from the Khazar Constituency No. 14 in the parliamentary elections, was elected a Member of Parliament, winning 96.7% (38,029 votes) of the vote.

The National Hero Chingiz Mustafayev Foundation and the ANS Group of Companies declared Mehriban Aliyeva "Person of the Year 2015" for her exceptional role in the high-level organization and hosting of the "Baku-2015" first European Games, her large-scale activities to promote Azerbaijan's positive image worldwide, her work for the mutual integration of Azerbaijani and world cultures, her contributions to shaping a multicultural environment in the country, and her consistent charitable activities.

On January 21, 2016, the Order of Merit, the highest award of the European Olympic Committees, was presented to Mehriban Aliyeva by decision of the Executive Committee of the European Olympic Committees for her special services to the development of sports in Europe.

On March 6, 2016, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of Hungary.

In 2016, at the 4th Congress of World Azerbaijanis held in Baku, she was elected a member of the World Azerbaijanis Coordination Council.

On September 22, 2016, Mehriban Aliyeva was presented with an honorary citizen diploma and badge of the city of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, for her services in preserving the city's cultural heritage.

On September 22, 2016, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded an honorary doctorate diploma from the St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo for her significant contribution and active participation in the preservation and promotion of Bulgaria's cultural heritage.

On February 21, 2017, by decree of President Ilham Aliyev, Mehriban Aliyeva was appointed First Vice-President of Azerbaijan.

In connection with this appointment, on March 6, 2017, the parliamentary mandate of Mehriban Aliyeva, a Member of Parliament of the fifth convocation of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, was terminated.

On June 2, 2017, she was elected an honorary member of the Union of Architects of Azerbaijan. Mehriban Aliyeva was also awarded the "Academician Mikayil Huseynov" memorial medal for her activities and contributions to the preservation of Azerbaijan's architectural heritage.

On December 26, 2017, Mehriban Aliyeva was presented with the Order of Saint Olga, 2nd Class, for her assistance to the Russian Orthodox Church and her care for the improvement of the city of Astrakhan.

On March 15, 2018, the Gold Medal of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center was presented to Mehriban Aliyeva for her contributions to the development of global projects, education, science, and culture.

On July 18, 2018, the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was presented to Mehriban Aliyeva.

On September 22, 2018, Mehriban Aliyeva was presented with the "Special Merit" medal of the International Fair Play Committee for her exemplary achievements in sports and the promotion of fair play.

On January 18, 2019, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the "Uzeyir Hajibeyli" honorary medal, established by the Union of Azerbaijani Composers, for her invaluable contributions to preserving and passing on to future generations the rich heritage of the great composer and founder of modern Azerbaijani classical music, Uzeyir Hajibeyli.

On August 13, 2019, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship for her services in developing and strengthening Azerbaijani-Russian relations.

On February 22, 2020, Mehriban Aliyeva was presented with the Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX, the highest class of the Papal Order of Knighthood, for her contributions to the development of culture, including cooperation with the institutions of the Holy See.

On March 5, 2021, by order of the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party Ilham Aliyev, she was appointed First Deputy Chairperson of the party.

Mehriban Aliyeva married Ilham Aliyev in 1983.