AZERBAIJANI FIRST LADY RECEIVES IOA OLYMPIC EXCELLENCE AWARD

Athens, June 19 2014 the Azerbaijani First Lady, Mehriban Aliyeva, also president of the Organising Committee (BEGOC) for the Baku 2015 European Games, earlier this week received the Olympic Excellence award from the International Olympic Academy in Athens.
The First Lady was presented the award at the 54th Session of the International Olympic Academy in the Greek capital, by Isidoros Kouvelos, President of the International Olympic Academy, in recognition of her contribution to promoting Olympic values, who praised the Azerbaijani First Lady’s role in the development of the Olympic Movement.
Spyros Capralos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, spoke about how Azerbaijan will host the inaugural European Games next year, praising the special role Mehriban Aliyeva plays within the Organizing Committee of the Games.
Mehriban Aliyeva highlighted the Azerbaijani government’s attention to developing sport, and Azerbaijani athletes’ achievements in international tournaments and Olympic Games. She expressed confidence that the first European Games would be successfully organized in Azerbaijan next year.
The Greek Culture and Sports Minister Konstantinos Tasoulas and the President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach congratulated Mehriban Aliyeva for the award.
The event also featured a concert.