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Mehriban Arif qizi Aliyeva (Azeri: Mehriban Əliyeva) (born 1964, Baku) is a member of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, wife of the current president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, chair of numerous charitable and cultural organizations.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Family 4 References 5 External links

Mehriban Aliyeva (née Pashayeva; Azeri: Paşayeva) was born into a family of scholars. Her father, Arif Pashayev is a Physics-Mathematics Ph.D. who currently works as a rector of the National Academy of Aviation in Baku. Her mother, Aida Imanguliyeva (†1992) was a prominent philologist and arabist. In 1982, Mehriban Aliyeva graduated from Secondary Public School #23 in Baku earning a gold medal for successful completion of her studies. A few months later she was admitted to the Azerbaijan Medical University and later continued her studies at the Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy, from where she graduated with an honorary diploma in 1988.

In 1988-1992 Mehriban Aliyeva worked at the Moscow Scientific Research Institute for Eye Diseases lead by Dr. Mikhail Krasnov. In 1995, she established the Friends of Azerbaijani Culture Foundation, which is currently the head of. In 1996, she started Azerbaijan Heritage culture and history magazine published in Azeri, English and Russian and became its editor-in-chief.

In 2002 Mehriban Aliyeva was elected the President of Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation. Her enthusiastic work resulted in the International Gymnastics Federation's decision to hold the 2005 World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships in Azerbaijan. In 2004, she established the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which focuses on studying and holding events to promote Heydar Aliyev's political ideology. In 2004, Aliyeva became a designated UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for promoting oral and musical traditions.^[1] Later that year, she was elected to be the executive member of the Azerbaijan National Olympic Committee. A national survey held in Azerbaijan earned her the title of the Woman of the Year in 2005. She is also the first female to become Knight of the Ruby Cross awarded to her by the Patrons of the Century International Charitable Fund for her philanthropic work.

In 2004, she became a member of the New Azerbaijan Party. During parliamentary elections in 2005, she was elected to the National Assembly of Azerbaijan.

Aliyeva married Ilham Aliyev in 1984. They have two daughters, Leyla and Arzu, and one son, Heydar.

• (English)(Azerbaijani)(Russian) Mehriban Aliyeva's Offical Website