Projects 2002-2014
CCIV (Beaune, Burgundy) and WSET (London, UK)
One of the focuses of “Mark Kaufman Charity Foundation” activity was the implementation of the educational program, aimed at cultivating the culture of alcohol consumption in Russia. In its framework some challenging projects have successfully been carried out. Thus, the Foundation awarded the scholarship to the best graduates of Moscow State University of Foreign Affairs and Higher School of Economics, who had a unique opportunity to complete the CCIV course (Connaissance et Commerce Internacional des Vin) at the Centre of the Professional Formation & Agricultural Promotion in Beaune - the heart of the wine-making Burgundy, and at the prestigious Wine & Spirits Educational Trust, based in London (UK).
Education at FJCR
The Charity Foundation of Mark Kaufman fulfils from the ground up the program of rendering assistance to the gifted underprivileged children, who received a chance of attending the boarding school, founded by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia (FJCR), and of gaining the educational grants to continue the studies at the renowned Universities both in Russian and abroad.
The financial assistance was granted as well to Moscow religious school “Mesivta”, opened in 1999 upon an initiative of Rabbi Berl Lazar - Chief Rabbi of Russia.
“For the great contribution to the education development and regeneration of the national culture” Mark Kaufman was repeatedly awarded with honorific letters on behalf of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia.
Orthodox Public School at the Most Holy Trinity Church – Kolomna (Schurovo)
“Mark Kaufman Charity Foundation” has been strongly supporting the Orthodox Public School, founded at the Most Holy Trinity Church in Moscow satellite town Kolomna. The school has succeeded in obtaining an official accreditation, and is currently recognized as a full-scale non-state educational establishment. It counts for 75 pupils, who have the classes in accordance with state educational standards. Beside the complete secondary education the deprived children study the clerical subjects, and enjoy the possibility of getting the supplementary education: music, artistic, physical, and of a regional history. The Orthodox school is undoubtedly a fantastic start in life for those who in past could hardly even dare to dream of a worthy education.
Mark Kaufman’s contribution was deeply appreciated by the Russian Orthodox Church, which on multiple occasions rewarded the benefactor for the charity activity.
The Russian Academy of Sciences partnership
The Charity Foundation of Mark Kaufman has been long-repeatedly granting the financial support to the Russian young scientists, who work in the innovative, rapidly developing fields and manage to demonstrate impressive results. The top priority task is to attract and to retain the rising gifted young people in science – in fact one of the acute problems the Russian Academy of Sciences is facing today. The financial assistance of Mark Kaufman enables the promising and ambitious scientists to accomplish the scientific research at the highest technology level with the use of last word technical means.
The Foundation gives the powerful boost to the fundamental researches, carried out in the natural sciences field in general and in the Earth Science branch in particular.
In the period of Mark Kaufman’s charitable activity an impressive range of grants and scholarship has been introduced, namely: “Scientific progress telecommanded grant”, “Geoinformational technology grants”, “e-Book release grants” etc. The significant projects have effectually been realized specifically “Telecommunication complex of geosphere interaction” (Intergeos) on the basis of the RAS Geosphere Dynamics Institute and “Virtual laboratory of actual movement and paleotension tectonophysical analysis” in the Geophysics Institute of RAS.
For the immense contribution to the scientific development of Geophysics in Russia Mark Kaufman was decorated with O.Y. Schmidt medal. Besides he received a number of acknowledgement letters on the part of President and Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Moscow School of Economics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University
Moscow School of Economics was founded in 2004 on the initiative of MSU President, V.A.Sadovnichii and Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences A.D. Nekipelov – further to a numerous appeals coming from the Russian business elite, feeling an acute lack of highly – skilled professionals in Economics. Being a fully – legitimate department of Moscow State University, it offers an absolutely innovative model of economic formation, based on the top-level international standards. Best scholars from RAS along with the reputed scientists from all around the world have been invited to teach at MSE.
The Charity Foundation of Mark Kaufman has been directly involved in establishing a breakthrough education centre, having financially supported the gifted students.
MSU, Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Mark Kaufman Charity Foundation have been involved in exceptionally successful co-project, within the framework of which the Foundation for 5 years has been granting the scholarship to the most distinguished MSU graduates, who could continue the scientific research under the supervision of the leading Russian economists on the base of Institute of Economics.
Since 2005 Professor Mark Kaufman, Doctor of Science (Economics), has been the Member of the Supervisory Board of MSE MSU.
Culture support
The Charity Foundation of Mark Kaufman has continuously rendered the financial support to multiple cultural projects. For many years the Foundation has been productively collaborating with renowned Moscow Chekhov Academic Art Theatre, Moscow Theatre, run by O.Tabakov, Russian National Orchestra, National Philharmonic Orchestra, founded by Maestro V.T. Spivakov.
As a result of Mark Kaufman’s contribution, the provincial Krasnokamsk Theatre School on an ongoing basis receives prestigious awards within the framework of Russian and international contests. This school offers a fantastic educational background, giving its graduates a chance to enter the best scenic art colleges - a chance of a lifetime. The charity work of M. Kaufman opens the miraculous world of art to the upcountry children, originally deprived of the opportunity to succeed in life.
Maxim Vengerov concert in Moscow. October, 30th, 2014
One of the most spectacular events of the cultural life of Moscow 2014 was undoubtedly Maxim Vengerov concert, held on the 30th of November in Moscow Conservatory's Grand Hall.
We can endlessly name the prestigious awards, achievements and regalia of a 30 years old genius, who gains a rightful place among the most demanded musicians of the world. He repeatedly won the mayor international competitions and twice received the Grammy Awards in 1996 and 2004. In 1997 Maxim Vengerov became the first classical musician to be appointed International Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF. He is as well the Honorary Ambassador of culture in Israel.
In Moscow the first violin of the world splendidly performed the masterpieces of Brahms, Rachmaninov, Venyavsky. The concert was organized with the participation of Embassy of Israel in the Russian Federation, which highly appreciated the financial support rendered by Prof. Mark Kaufman.