To mark Ruben Vardanyan’s birthday, the international music collective Nexus Artists launched a heartfelt open call, inviting people from around the world to share what they had learned from Ruben. Dozens of individuals — of different ages, from different countries, and in different languages — responded with voice messages, reflections, poems, and words of gratitude. Many of them had never met Ruben in person, yet felt deeply connected to his values and legacy. Fragments from these recordings were carefully selected and interwoven into a moving musical composition – “Song for Ruben” – a tribute filled with solidarity, hope, and unwavering support. What makes the song even more special is its origin: it draws its melody from a song written in 2021 by a group of children from Red Bazar in Artsakh. One of those children, who now lives near Yerevan, recently learned that their song had become the foundation for this global tribute – a touching connection across time, memory, and meaning. Importantly, this project is not affiliated with any official PR initiative. It was independently created by individuals who have worked with Ruben at different points in their lives – united solely by respect, love, and the belief that his voice must continue to resonate in the world. We invite you to listen, share, and let this music speak — for Ruben, and for the values he stands for.
Lend Your Voice
Help Free Ruben Vardanyan
Ruben Vardanyan, philanthropist, humanitarian, and former State Minister of Nagorno-Karabakh has been arrested by the Azerbaijani government and is being illegally detained with other notable Armenians. It’s time for Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to release these Armenians immediately.
After implementing an illegal nine month-long blockade of fuel, medicine and food, on September 19th, Azerbaijan launched a bloody military offensive invading the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, resulting in hundreds of civilian deaths and thousands of military casualties. This invasion led to the forced displacement of virtually all of the 120,000 ethnic Armenians from the region. This is indisputably ethnic cleansing; much of the world agrees. Human rights groups have labeled the Azeri actions as a genocide.
As he sought to leave for Armenia, Ruben Vardanyan, leading Armenian philanthropist, humanitarian, and former State Minister, was illegally detained. His arrest is particularly concerning as his high-profile international support of Nagorno-Karabakh has made him a target of the Baku government. Ruben is among the latest residents of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh arbitrarily arrested for political reasons and illegally detained. Others include three former presidents of the Republic, Arayik Harutyunyan, Bako Sahakyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, and other former officials, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, David Ishkanyan, and Davit Manukyan. Many other Armenians continue to be illegally imprisoned. The negligible information on the health and well-being of these individuals is deeply concerning
These individuals are being detained in clear violation of domestic and international law, including UN and European human rights conventions to which Azerbaijan is a party. The conditions of their detention are deeply concerning, including inadequate communications with their families, an absence of regular independent monitoring or consular access, and the denial of access to local and international lawyers. Azerbaijan must respect international legal standards and human rights on which peace and stability depend.
Every day matters for the lives of these prisoners. Any peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan must include their release.
We call on President Ilham Aliyev to release all these illegally detained individuals immediately.
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