The inaugural Gorbachev Awards were given out last night at a gala event in London, UK as part of celebrations to mark Gorbachev’s 80th birthday.

The Awards were part of the Gorby 80 gala concert, which brought together musicians, singers and artists from all over the world to honour the former leader of the Soviet Union. They included Katherine Jenkins, Bryan Ferry and Dame Shirley Bassey alongside Valery Gergiev and the London Symphony Orchestra, Russian opera singer Dmitri Hvorostovsky and classical pianist Andrey Gavrilov.
The concert also raised money for cancer charities, including Macmillan Cancer Support UK and the Raisa Gorbachev Children’s Institute for Transplantology and Haematology in Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
Hosted by Hollywood stars Sharon Stone and Kevin Spacey, the event also marked the unveiling of a new book written to celebrate Gorbachev’s 80th birthday and honor his lifelong commitment to sustainability. Green Cross International will publish “Mikhail Gorbachev: Prophet of Change”, which traces the evolution of his environmental vision. Due to be published by Clairview Books on 26 April, this special publication includes tributes from political contemporaries and partners in the environmental and peace movements, some of which were on hand at the gala including President of the State of Israel Shimon Peres and award winner Ted Turner.
Founded by Green Cross International, the Gorbachev Foundation, the Nobel Peace Laureates Forum and the New Policy Forum, the Mikhail Gorbachev Award “The Man Who Changed the World” will be awarded annually to individuals whose contribution to the development of global civilization, culture, social science and technology has changed the world we live in for the better. The location of the awards ceremony will change each year with the next ceremony planned for March 2012 in Germany.
More pictures from the event
For more information on the book, please visit Amazon and Clairview Books.
For more information on the gala concert, please visit the website.