You're Invited! Gorbachev to Speak in Moscow at Statue Unveiling Ceremony

Rain or Shine, Monday, July 3rd, near the Kropotkinskaya metro stop

Our friend, the genial Ed Lozansky, wrote us recently to let us know that he is hosting a ceremony in central Moscow in the Arbat on July 3rd, where a statue of Reagan and Gorbachev will be unveiled.

Ed runs Russia House, a US-Russian friendship organization, and is the president of American University in Moscow.  He was active in US-Russian relations during the Reagan administration, and has an interesting article out arguing that Trump should look to Reagan's experience in bucking the hawks intent on military conflict with Russia.

Gorbachev is the headline speaker, as well as Suzanne Massie, the noted US historian, author of the well-known book about Russian culture, Land of the Firebird, the Beauty of Old Russia.  Massie was close to Ronald Reagan and advised him on the cultural nuances of dealing with Russia.  Apparently Reagan set great value on his ability to develop a personal rapport with Gorbachev.

We've been to these events before and they are a lot of fun.  Politicians make speeches, people wave flags, refreshments are served. The talk is of US-Russian cooperation. Last time Ray McGovern recited Russian poetry.

Here is the info from the website. Registration is encouraged by not required. The weather so far this summer has been pretty rainy, so there are arrangements for both indoor and outdoor festivities.

Monday, July 3, 2017; 5.00 - 8.00 PM

Unveiling ceremony of Reagan - Gorbachev sculptural composition in downtown Moscow followed by Independence Day reception.

Address: Burganov Museum, 15 Bolshoi Afanasievsky Pereulok. 

Just around the corner at the corner of Sivstev Razhek and Starokonyushnii lanes, there is a little park which the locals call 'America', because it has a statue of Lincoln and Tsar Alexander II shaking hands, to commemorate Alexander's support of the North during the American Civil War, and the Russian-American friendship of the post-war period, which led to the purchase of Alaska.  

It also has a tree with a plaque dedicated to the friendly embrace of Russian and American troops on the Elbe River at the end of WW2.

Ed was instrumental in having both monuments installed.

russia-insider.com