AFK Sistema : Sistema's Board Chairman Vladimir Evtushenkov named Patron of the Year

17/11/2017

Sistema's Board Chairman Vladimir Evtushenkov named Patron of the Year

Moscow, 16 November 2017 - Sistema PJSFC (LSE: SSA, MOEX: AFKS), a publicly traded diversified Russian holding company, announces that Vladimir Evtushenkov, Chairman of Sistema's Board of Directors, was awarded the main prize of the national initiative Patron of the Year 2017 for the long-term programme of support for the State Russian Museum.

The Patron of the Year award established by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation is awarded annually on a competitive basis to outstanding philanthropists for supporting projects aimed at preserving Russia's cultural heritage. Vladimir Evtushenkov was nominated in the category 'Patron of the year in the field of culture and arts' by the State Russian Museum for the programme of cooperation to implement large-scale cultural initiatives.

'The winners of the Patron of the Year award prove that our country has created excellent conditions for building a socially responsible business. Russian business people provide substantial support and financial aid to institutions that have a significant impact on the development of culture and arts in Russia's regions,' said Vladimir Medinsky, Russia's Minister of Culture.

'Support of culture, including the introduction of new information and communication technologies for the popularisation of artistic heritage, is one of the priorities of our charitable activities. Over the years, we have been consistently investing in the development of the State Russian Museum. Within the framework of the agreement with the museum, the total amount of funding for the programme, including restoration, exhibition, publishing, cultural, educational and multimedia projects, amounts to half a billion roubles,' said Vladimir Evtushenkov, Chairman of Sistema's Board of Directors, who heads the Board of Trustees of the fund 'Friends of the Russian Museum' and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Sistema Charitable Foundation.

Background

The largest joint project of Sistema and one of Russia's leading art museums was the creation of a unique network of 'virtual branches' of the Russian Museum, with more than 200 information and education centres in cultural and educational institutions in the Russian regions and abroad, which are attended by more than 500,000 people annually.

Sistema also supported the creation of a modern multimedia centre of the Russian Museum in the West wing of St Michael's Castle in Saint Petersburg, modernisation of the museum's website and constant growth of the media library, which includes video films, interactive programmes and publications created by the Russian Museum's employees on the basis of its outstanding art collection.

The Corporation has sponsored a number of important exhibitions, including the exhibition to celebrate Ivan Aivazovsky's 200th anniversary, which was visited by more than 300,000 people in three months and allowed the Russian Museum to earn approximately RUB 80m.

Yet another example of cooperation between Sistema and the Russian Museum is the annual international festival of garden art The Imperial Gardens of Russia. The festival is designed to revive the traditions of the Russian garden design and raise funds for the preservation of the Summer Garden, Engineering Gardens, Mikhailovsky Garden and the Russian Museum's historical premises. The 10th festival, held with the support of Sistema Charitable Foundation, was attended by more than 50,000 people in ten days. The central theme of the festival in 2017 was the Russian avant-garde. The festival also included the Children's Gardens social project aimed at integration of special needs children. The works of such children were also exhibited in the Mikhailovsky Garden along with those of the best professionals.

About the Patron of the Year award

The national initiative Patron of the Year is aimed at the revival and development of philanthropy, formation of a favourable attitude to socially responsible business in society, and intensification of charitable and sponsorship activities of companies, institutions, organisations and citizens in the field of culture and arts in the Russian Federation. This year, 29 applications were received for the award, of which independent experts selected 10 most significant projects. The Patron of the Year award ceremony was held during the 6th St Petersburg International Cultural Forum.

For further information, please visit www.sistema.ruwww.sistema.ruor contact:

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Sistema PJSFC is a publicly traded diversified Russian holding company serving over 150 million customers in such sectors as telecommunications, retail, paper and packaging, agriculture, high technology, banking, real estate, pharmaceuticals, tourism and healthcare services. The company was founded in 1993. Its revenue in 2016 reached RUB 697.7bn; its total assets equalled RUB 1.1tn as of 31 December 2016. Sistema's global depositary receipts are listed under the 'SSA' ticker on the London Stock Exchange. Sistema's ordinary shares are listed under the 'AFKS' ticker on the Moscow Exchange. Website:www.sistema.ru