Mikhail Gorbachev is living proof that the word is mightier than the sword; that ideas not armies change the world. Dedicated to ridding humanity of the threat of nuclear annihilation Gorbachev called for multilateral action to forge a common future at a time when the superpowers were at loggerheads. Two key words Perestroika & Glasnost characterised his philosophy
- words that came to represent change & freedom in the universal consciousness. Gorbachev's radical thought ignited sweeping reforms in the Soviet Union inspired liberation movements across Eastern Europe & thawed decades of Cold War enmity. For Gorbachev environmental matters have always been inextricably bound up with peace security & social justice. The transition from head of state of the USSR to president of a non-governmental organisation Green Cross International was therefore a natural one. Mikhail Gorbachev: Prophet for Change" traces the evolution of his vision in particular the origins & outcomes of his environmental agenda which belong to the important legacy of the changes Gorbachev initiated in the Soviet Union & the world. Without these critical initiatives the many advances of today's global environmental movement would not have been possible. This anthology featuring select speeches & writings as well as tributes from political contemporaries & partners in the environmental & peace movements has been compiled by Green Cross International to celebrate Gorbachev's 80th birthday. The tributes from colleagues & friends
- ranging from political heavyweights George Bush & Margaret Thatcher to renowned champions of sustainability Maurice Strong & Achim Steiner
- reflect the esteem in which Mikhail Gorbachev is held & the special place he occupies in the history of our times."