“If you want to make the world a better place, you must be willing to make difficult decisions and accept responsibility for those decisions, and you cannot be afraid to face the setbacks and recover from them.”

These words by Ruben Vardanyan were quoted by Alice Petrossian, a donor to the Armenian Educational Foundation (AEF) and an international education consultant, speaking at an event in Los Angeles dedicated to AEF’s 75th anniversary.

She handed over to Ruben Vardanyan’s spouse, Veronika Zonabend, the AEF’s Educational Visionaries Award.

“Ruben Vardanyan and Veronika Zonabend dedicated their whole lives to making the world a better place. Regrettably, Ruben Vardanyan is in a Baku jail for already two years. We pray for his speedy release,” said Alice Petrossian.

In her speech Veronika Zonabend said:

“Although I was born into a Russian-Jewish family, I identify myself as Armenian by choice.

It was Ruben's passion and love for the idea of change in Armenia that first inspired me to do the same. The world is indeed undergoing profound changes, and the systems we once relied upon are collapsing. Ruben and I come from a part of the world where stability has always been a rarity, and our generation has been through moments like this before.

But what we know for certain is that education has always been a catalyst for personal empowerment. In our case, I studied aerospace engineering, while Reuben studied economics, and we are passionate about the impact of education. From our parents, we learned the true value of education. It is the one possession no one can ever take away. Neither knowledge nor values can be stripped from us. 

Veronika Zonabend

Photo: Armenian Educational Foundation

And though Armenians have long been scattered across the world, it is through unity and the passing of knowledge, from one generation to the next, that we remain bound together. Education and shared values are invisible threads that connect us no matter how far apart we may live.

Education | 2024-05-21 15:02:33

Precepts to the graduates of UWC Dilijan: “Quo Vadis?” and being “Armenian by choice”

Today, once again, we stand at that threshold of a new era. Yet, one thing remains unchanged: our understanding of the enduring importance of human values and the bonds that connect us to one another. The Armenian Educational Foundation's 75th anniversary is a testament to the importance our people place on education as a pathway to the future.

Whatever you do in life, you must do it with heart and love, for that is the one thing no one can ever take from you. And now, as Ruben endures the loss of his freedom under cruel and unjust circumstances, his very life has become a testament to his unwavering belief in a better world — one built on knowledge, education, and the strength of community. 

Now more than ever, we must stand together in the face of change, striving to bring stability to the world by passing on our knowledge and the lessons of our experience to the next generation, for it is they who will guide us out of the uncertainty of tomorrow”.