In frame of her visit to New York due to support of the Children`s Cancer & Blood Foundation (CCBF), Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Founder of the International Dialogue for Environmental Action, IDEA, Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva received the “Key to Life” Award for the active participation in humanitarian projects for children in the annual charity meeting of the Foundation at the Plaza Hotel, November 1.  

Chairman of CCBF Les Lieberman said Leyla Aliyeva makes a great contribution to the development of social, youth, environmental protection and improvement of the state of orphans not only in Azerbaijan but also throughout the world. The Chairman underlined Leyla Aliyeva is a Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, the largest and leading non-governmental organization, which implements important educational and charitable projects. “Leyla Aliyeva is a founder of the International Dialogue for Environmental Action, IDEA and founder and Editor-in-Chief of “Baku” magazine. Up to now, she has been awarded with numerous prizes for the contributions to the strengthening of international relations. Today, CCBF takes pride to present the “Key to Life” Award to Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva for tireless actions to help the needy children across the world,” said Les Lieberman.

The Award was presented to Mrs. Leyla Aliyeva.

L.Aliyeva thanked for the Award:

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am happy to be here and to get this important award. I receive the “Key to Life” Award on behalf of the young people living in my country. Azerbaijani youth live in freedom and understand the responsibility of this freedom. They comprehend that the biggest responsibility on us is taking care of each other. The door to the life is just here – in your farsight, experience and open heart. The CCBF activity inspires us all. You demonstrate the true sense of sharing your experience. You share your funds, and not only, also love, care and hope. Yesterday, I witnessed your great work in the department of hematology and oncology. This job is supported by everyone present in this charity event.

I have personally witnessed several cases of disease in our country. The Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which I represent, makes everything possible to combat with these diseases both in Azerbaijan and all over the world. We have opened the largest thalassaemia center in the region in 2007 as part of our healthcare initiative “Life Without Thalassemia”. The center is equipped with latest technologies and provides a cure for free. It carries out various campaigns on blood transfusion and donation across the country, provides for free insulin and syringe to children under 14 suffering from diabetes. Seeing a child, whose life is hung by a thread, you understand what necessary in life is. If we manage save these lives, what can be more important than this? Your job saves just such lives.”

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The Children`s Cancer & Blood Foundation (CCBF), through its support of the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, has created a standard of excellence in the treatment of children with chronic, life-threatening blood disorders since 1952. The Children`s Cancer & Blood Foundation is the largest & oldest charitable organization in the US dedicated to the care of children suffering from blood diseases and cancers. 1,5 mln USD CCBF raises via the annual charity events has helped revolutionize the treatment of children suffering from cancers & childhood blood disorders at the New York Presbyterian Hospital’s Will Cornell Medical Centre.

During her visit to New York, Leyla Aliyeva met with James Deutsch, Curator of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, November 1. They discussed the prospects of cooperation between the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Smithsonian Institute, exchanged views on the visit of the Smithsonian experts to Azerbaijan to closely study the country’s cultural heritage. The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is a research and educational unit of the Smithsonian Institution promoting the understanding and continuity of diverse, contemporary grassroots cultures in the United States and around the world. The Center has 19 museums, with 136 millions of exhibits, 9 cultural research centers and two periodic publications.