Chevening Secretariat,

We, the prospective and awarded Chevening scholars from around the globe as well as others concerned about this discrimination, are asking you to continue this year's application process in Russia. We find the decision to stop the whole selection process for Russian applicants to be unfaithful in the current situation they are facing.

Chevening claims to challenge inequality, build an international community of people, create networks and friendships, and yet takes away those opportunities, limits and discriminates future leaders, leaving them in a vulnerable situation.

Chevening Alumni from Russia have always fulfilled this mission in their home country, working on their countries' sustainable development, creating positive change for the communities. Moreover, the Chevening scholarship`s selection process has never been politicised, the Chevening community has always been diverse bringing together people from all walks of life.

Today, more than ever, our country needs leaders who can work to establish global peace and cooperation between countries. Therefore, at the moment, right now, such a scholarship as Chevening is especially relevant for students from Russia. This year applicants are striving to fight the coronavirus, build strong institutions, work on equality and inclusion, consolidate the rights of oppressed and marginalized groups of society, and develop independent media.

We strongly encourage Chevening to remain a platform for the implementation of our plans to create a better future and follow the declared principle: “It doesn’t matter where you’re from, it’s where you’re going that counts”.