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State of the World Forum Dedicates Its Annual Conference in Memory of Raisa Gorbachev September 20, 1999 The State of the World Forum will dedicate this year’s Fifth Annual State of the World Forum conference to the memory of Raisa Maksimovna Gorbachev. The conference will be held on October 1- 6, 1999 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco. Mrs. Gorbachev had a major influence on Mikhail Gorbachev’s leadership during his tenure as General Secretary and President of the Soviet Union, and it was because of her support that the Gorbachev Foundation, dedicated to promoting peace, was established in San Francisco. The Gorbachev Foundation was the predecessor of State of the World Forum, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing an international network of leaders from diverse backgrounds to constructively address issues facing humanity on the eve of the 21st Century. Past Forum participants include Margeret Thatcher, President George Bush, Nobel Peace Laureates, business executives, grass-roots activists, indegenous leaders, scientists, artists and youth leaders. In honor of Raisa Gorbachev, the opening night of the 1999 Forum will highlight the theme of "Creating a Culture of Peace" with a speech delivered by Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan. Jim Garrison, President of State of the World Forum, who had warm relationship with Mrs. Gorbachev, says: "She is a magnificent woman, the first woman in Soviet history to have a high public profile and significant influence on international politics. During Mr. Gorbachev’s first visit to the United States after the collapse of the Soviet Regime, it was due to Raisa’s love for the Presidio that the Foundation became based in San Francisco. We express our condolences and sadness over her recent passing. We will remember her influence, attentiveness, integrity, stature, and compassion." Raisa Maksimovna Gorbachev was First Lady of the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1991. She graduated from university with honors and entered the Faculty of Philosophy of the Lomonosov’s Moscow State University. In 1967, Mrs. Gorbachev acquired her doctorate, with a thesis on the sociological study of the life of the peasants of the Stavropol Region. She then taught in several institutes and universities for more than twenty years. Mrs. Gorbachev was closely connected with the establishment of the Soviet Cultural Fund and with the rebirth of the traditions of charity and philanthropy in the Soviet Union, particularly towards children. |
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