Today, 24 December, is the birthday of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.
Marking his 51st birthday, our head of state has passed through an exemplary, very rich and meaningful path in his life.
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev was born on 24 December 1961 in Baku.
After receiving his secondary education in 1967-1977 in Baku, Aliyev in 1977 was admitted to the Moscow State International Relations Institute, and following the successful higher education, he continued his scientific activity at the Institute's postgraduate study.
Defending a dissertation in 1985, Aliyev received degree PhD in history, and till 1990 worked as a teacher at the Moscow State International Relations Institute. The future head of state in 1994-2003 acted as a vice president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), and then as the first vice president of the company.
Elected a member of Milli Majlis in 1995 and 2000, Ilham Aliyev in 2001-2003 was a head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Within his political activity at PACE, in January 2003, he was elected a deputy chairman and a bureau member of the structure. Due to the appointment as a prime minister in 2003, his authorities as an MP were terminated.
On 15 October 2003, he was elected a president of Azerbaijan Republic and on 31 October started his office. Gaining the votes of over 88% of voters at elections held on 15 October 2008, Ilham Aliyev was elected a president of Azerbaijan Republic for the second term.
Since 1997, Aliyev is a president of the Azerbaijan National Olympics Committee. He was awarded the supreme order of the International Olympics Committee for his great services in the development of Sports and Olympic movement. He masters Azerbaijani, Russian, English, French and Turkish languages.
He is married, has three children and three grandchildren.