Monday, October 9 2023 23:14

ArmInfo. The Skolkovo School of Management alumni community issued an open appeal in support of Ruben Vardanyan.  It says:

"We, thousands of graduates of the international business school  SKOLKOVO - a community of entrepreneurs and executives, appeal to  world leaders, human rights activists and the media with a request  for help in releasing Ruben Karlenovich Vardanyan from imprisonment  in Azerbaijan.

"We know Mr Ruben Vardanyan as a passionate and sincere person, an  active humanitarian and public figure, a bright leader, the founding  father of the business school where we studied, found business ideas  and partners, friends and like-minded people. Behind each of these  events was he: always ideological, ready to help, a visionary and  strategist, who was always open to dialogue and personal  participation. We know him as a humanitarian who, together with his  partners, founded the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative, one of the  largest humanitarian foundations dedicated to promoting peace and  protecting human rights throughout the world. Ruben Karlenovich had a  significant influence on the development of many large socially  beneficial projects and management culture in Russia and other  countries.

Ruben Vardanyan is an example of a businessman, philanthropist,  philanthropist, for whom honor, dignity and service to the mission  are not words, but a way of life. There are people whose scale is  wider than any boundaries, any spheres of activity, passports,  policies, phenomena and situations. Ruben Karlenovich is grateful to  hundreds, thousands of people who managed to touch his circle.

More than a year ago, Ruben Vardanyan made the difficult decision to  settle in Artsakh (Nagorno- Karabakh) because he wanted to be with  the people of Artsakh, to protect them and their rights. This desire  was so strong that he left everything, neglected comfort and safety,  and went there to share with the local residents the hardships of  wartime and blockade.

Even after leaving Russia, Ruben Karlenovich continued to be close to  our community and participated in his mission of developing people,  selflessly helping projects as a mentor, and developing research and  scientific activities.

On September 27, 2023, Ruben Vardanyan was detained by Azerbaijani  authorities while attempting to leave Artsakh along with thousands of  other Armenians fleeing possible persecution by Azerbaijan.   Currently, a criminal case has been initiated against him. Azerbaijan  accused Ruben Karlenovich of financing terrorism, participating in  the creation of armed groups and illegally crossing the border.   Currently, Ruben Karlenovich is under arrest.

For us as business leaders, this is a blow to the entire business  community. This is the loss of guidelines and themes of philanthropy,  which always had a leader, a wise elder and mentor with whom we could  always check the clock of conscience and duty. The physical safety of  global people provides moral support to other leaders. Every  community has a spiritual leader - an example of unconditional  service. If such an example disappears, the community disappears.

With this letter we ask for the help and support of all those who are  concerned about the fate of Ruben Vardanyan to ensure his safety and  a speedy return to his family and good deeds.

We ask you to join our appeal and disseminate this information on all  resources available to you.