On New Year’s Eve, officials of Consulate General of Azerbaijan in Yekaterinburg presented the Eastern dance costume khaleeji to 11-year-old Marina Marchenko on behalf of Head of Representation of Heydar Aliyev Foundation in Russia Leila Aliyev. ‘Oblastnaya Gazeta’, the major publication in Yekaterinburg reported on the presentation – the article ‘Khaleeji for Marina’ by Lydia Sabanina, says Leila Aliyeva met Marina at the Onco-Haematological Centre of the Sverdlovsk Children Clinical Hospital No1 during her recent visit to the Province.

The newspaper reported: ‘The little girl was very happy when she saw the blue khaleeji. She viewed the numerous ornaments on this Eastern costume with delight, put the costume on and performed several elements of Eastern dance’. The article also included contains comment from Tatyana Petrovna, Marina’s mother - who values the unexpected meeting with Leila Aliyeva as a charming and significant event for them: ‘We felt her sincere attention, care and support for us’.

Interviewed by the newspaper, Consul General of Azerbaijan in Yekaterinburg Sultan Gasymov expressed hope that doctors will let Marina to go this Autumn to Baku where she and her mother will be welcomed on the high level. ‘We are ready to organize this visit even sooner, but doctors say the most important for the girl is her treatment. For now we are happy for fulfilling the task for Leila Aliyeva, who remembers this little girl and takes care of her destiny, and delivering this surprise for he. One of the significant results of Leila Aliyeva’s visit to the Oncological Centre of the Provincial Children Clinical Hospital No1 was that we are organising the exchange of experience between Azerbaijani and Uralian oncologists. Recently I received a call of gratitude from the Specialized Children Home No6 in Yekaterinburg for the $15.000 charity donation that was raised from a concert given in Yekaterinburg by Emin Aghalarov, Leila Aliyeva’s spouse, musician and businessman. As a representative of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Leila Aliyeva often pays visits to regions of Russia, and undertakes projects in the spheres of education, public health, holds charity events. I am very glad that large and small works, official and charitable relations strengthen the friendly ties between our countries…’