Mikhail Gorbachev, final leader of Soviet Union and Liberty Medal winner, dies at 91
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The world is remembering the last leader of the Soviet Union. Mikhail Gorbachev died Tuesday after a long illness. He was 91 years old.
Gorbachev sparked a revolution as he helped bring down the Berlin Wall and dissolve the Soviet Union. He joined the Communist Party as a law student and rose through the ranks.
In 1985, Gorbachev became the youngest secretary general in the Communist Party's history. He instituted government restructuring and transparency, opening the Soviet Union to the world.
Next month will mark 14 years since Mikhail Gorbachev was in the area to receive the Liberty Medal, a prestigious honor for those who work to secure liberty for others around the world.
Honored for his courageous role in ending the decades-long Cold War, Gorbachev, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was here in Philadelphia.
"For me, it was an unexpected honor and I must say that I appreciate the honor," Gorbachev said. "It's a very emotional moment for me."
At 77, Gorbachev was commended for giving hope to the millions who lived behind the Iron Curtain which had divided Europe since World War II.
He was presented with the Liberty Medal by former President George H. W. Bush, who served as chairman of the National Constitution Center.
The two leaders had built a political alliance and friendship after decades of rivalry between the countries.
The ceremony in Philadelphia set the stage for the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a celebration to be held the following year.
"I will continue to work based on the principles that have been my principles all these years," Gorbachev said. "Let us make sure that politics and business are not divorced from morality, and not divorced from ethics."
Gorbachev's death comes as the current Russian President Vladamir Putin continues to invade Ukraine.
When he received the Liberty Medal in 2008, Eyewitness News asked Gorbachev if the future of Russian foreign policy was to be more aggressive.
"No, Russia doesn't want control of its neighbors," Gorbachev said.