8 October 2007
Gorbachev speaks at Ransom Everglades
To students at Ransom Everglades, Mikhail Gorbachev was a man whose presence was previously confined to history books.
Tuesday, he became real after the former leader of the Soviet Union spoke to more than 500 Ransom students, faculty and parents at the school’s auditorium, marking his first-ever address at an American high school.
Gorbachev’s visit was organized by Ransom parents Benny and Juliette Klepach, who are personal friends of the former Russian president. Their daughter Arielle is a sophomore at Ransom.
«After I met Benny and he told me he was a personal friend of Gorbachev, I said I would be delighted if he could ever get him to come here», said Ransom Head of School Ellen Moceri, who taught a high school course in Russian history and literature before coming to Ransom. “I was exceedingly excited when I found out he was coming. It was disbelief. This is a world leader. It’s like having Churchill speak at your school. (Gorbachev) changed the world. It’s rare that any school, college or independent, gets someone of his stature to come to their school».
Most of the students in the audience were not even born when Gorbachev reigned in the Soviet Union. In fact, the Soviet Union barely existed in their lifetime. Instead, they know of a Russia comprised a set of republics, some of which are in the midst of some nasty growing pains associated with a move to democracy that Gorbachev helped start.
Still, Gorbachev urged patience from those quick to criticize the problems of Russia.
«Russia is only half way there at best», he said through an interpreter. «You built democracy in 300 years. How do you expect it to build democracy in 300 days?».
His appearance was part of his effort to spread his message in the land that was once his Cold War enemy. He began his American speaking tour a year ago.
«We must have leaders for the future», he told the Ransom students. «It begins with you».
Even speaking through an interpreter, Gorbachev showed a command that made him such a powerful figure on the world stage.
He relayed the story of when he was a teenager attending a youth Soviet political meeting. Each teen was asked to stand and introduce themselves. After Gorbachev was finished, he went to sit down. But his seat had been pulled out from under him and he landed on his rear.
«It taught me that one should never fear falling», Gorbachev said. «One should rise, rally and move on».
He also urged students to embrace his concept of globalization, which, he stated, is not the same as Americanization.
He still showed a slyness as well.
When asked what advice he would give President Bush, Gorbachev smiled before saying he didn’t think it was appropriate to comment on a sitting President.
Gorbachev served as leader of the Soviet Union from 1985-1991. He signed a pair of disarmament pacts and ended Communist rule in Eastern Europe. As a result of his achievements, he was the recipient of the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize as well as the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, and the Badge of Honor.
In 1992, Gorbachev became President of the Gorbachev Foundation, known as the International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies. The Gorbachev Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan educational foundation. Its purpose is to articulate and address the challenges of the post Cold War world, through the revisioning of global priorities.
In 1993, Gorbachev founded the environmental organization, Green Cross International. This is a non-governmental group with chapters in the United States, Russia, The Netherlands, Japan, and Switzerland. Green Cross International is a three-pronged program with a mission to clean up military toxins, assist in the creation of global ecological law, and foster a value shift on the environment.
Scheduled to speak for 20 minutes, Gorbachev addressed the crowd for close to an hour, including a series of questions from Ransom students.
«He helped them see what a leader is», Moceri said. «He talked about a political sense, a sense of vision, and a sense of morality, major components of being a leader.
«I was very impressed he would take so long to talk», she added. «I think he had a desire to engage the students. He didn’t talk down to them for a minute».
Gorbachev stayed in town for a reception and dinner later in the day. And the man associated with former U.S. President’ Ronald Reagan's most famous quote, «Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!», even signed a piece of the Berlin Wall belonging to a Ransom teacher.
«Not only did he sign it, he told us to take a picture of him with the piece of the wall», Moceri said.
Gorbachev served as leader of the Soviet Union from 1985-1991. He helped decentralize the Communist system throughout the country. He also signed two broad disarmament pacts. He taught the world two new words: perestroika (governmental restructuring) and glasnost (political openness). As a result of his achievements, Gorbachev was the recipient of the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize, the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, and the Badge of Honor.
Fifteen years ago, he became President of the Gorbachev Foundation, known as the International Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies. The purpose of the non-profit, non-partisan educational foundation is to address the challenges of the post Cold War world, through the revisioning of global priorities.
He also founded an environmental organization called Green Cross International. With chapters in the United States, Russia, The Netherlands, Japan, and Switzerland, Green Cross International’s mission is to clean up military toxins, assist in the creation of global ecological law, and foster a value shift on the environment.
At a brief press conference following the event, Gorbachev spent a few moments commenting on a pair of journalists’ questions about Cuba and Fidel Castro. Castro was an ally of the Soviet Union but, Gorbachev iterated, «not a communist».
