Understanding Gorbachev—Corresponding with the Former President of the Soviet Union

On July 27, 1990, President Gorbachev first met my mentor Daisaku Ikeda at the Kremlin. I was inspired at the age of 29 then and swore in my heart to follow in the footsteps of my mentor; one day I would also have a conversation with President Gorbachev. My dream came true on January 31, 2020, when I met President Gorbachev at his foundation in Moscow and had a 75-minute conversation. We established a friendship, and he trusted me to translate and publish some of his books in English and Chinese. The Chinese version of his memoir of the Cold War was published in 2022, and I am excited to have this book of correspondence to be published in both English and Chinese this year.

Now translated from the original Russian, this volume provides a window into history, highlighting not only Gorbachev’s major accomplishments like perestroika, glasnost, and the end of the Cold War, but also his lesser-known projects such as Green Cross International and the Earth Charter. The correspondence included offers many different perspectives on an iconic leader that history will never forget.

In this book, you will find letters from some of the most important people in the past 50 years or so, not only from Mikhail Gorbachev, but US Presidents and UK Prime Ministers, religious leaders and philosophers, even rock stars and opera singers. Alongside these famous names are many more from ordinary people—students, professors, retirees, and so on—from countries all around the world. There are even three letters from my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda, and two from myself.

In 1992, I founded the Lam Kin Chung Morning Sun Charity Fund, which aims to foster peace through global education and cultural exchange programs. As part of its mission, the fund has provided donations and scholarships to universities and other educational organizations around the world. But formal education is not the only means of learning, so the fund has also supported the publication of many monographs on various topics in Chinese and English. Through this work and my time as a UNCHR Patron, I have traveled extensively and met many notable individuals, such as Mr. and Mrs. Bill Clinton and Mr. and Mrs. Tony Blair.

Although most people would not consider Gorbacheva philosopher, he undoubtedly had his own ideals and vision. He placed great emphasis on moral values, human rights, international cooperation, and harmony, beliefs shared by myself and my mentor, Daisaku Ikeda. By documenting his views and sharing them with the wider world, I hope that this book will further cement Gorbachev’s lasting legacy as one of the great leaders in modern times.

Last but not the least, I owe my gratitude to City University of Hong Kong Press for publishing this book. Without the help of my dear friend Vladimir Polyakov, Director Edmond Chan, Anna Poon, and Sydney Stonner, the publication of this book would not have gone smoothly. The excellent translation by Anastasia Poliakova, along with further polishing by Kar-Ho Wong, Joseph Gregory Yu, and our US partner Kate Springer have made this book a perfect one.

Sir Dr. Lam Kin-Chung, KCR
Chairman of Lam Kin Chung Morning Sun Charity Fund