Press release, 1996-10-04
Mikhail Gorbatchev
Accepts International Academy Appointment
Paderborn/San Marino/Düsseldorf.
Right before his guest visit to the North Rhine-Westphalian Parliament
at Duesseldorf (Germany), on Friday, September 20, the Soviet Union's last
president, Mikhail Gorbatchev, met the president of the International
Academy of the Sciences (AIS) San Marino, Prof. Dr. Helmar Frank
(University of Paderborn), and the Academy's co-founder, Nobel prize winner
Prof. Dr. Reinhard Selten (University of Bonn). During this meeting,
Gorbatchev accepted the document appointing him to the AIS and affirmed
his cooperation as a professor of the technical-practical sector of the AIS,
together with his International Gorbatchev Foundation for socio-economic and
political research. The Gorbatchev Foundation now has a third seat in
Duesseldorf, in addition to Russia and the USA.
"Only from today on I really belong to the AIS", Gorbatchev said referring
to the appointing decision of the AIS senate, dating from March 1996.
Gorbachev joyfully remembers his visit to the "beautiful republic of San
Marino" whose ancient democratic tradition had impressed him, especially the
existence of two presidents "lest one become too powerful." He supported
AIS' policy of working for long-term goals whose importance is not yet
recognized by politicians, not least for a democratic solution of the
international language problem in the interest of the forthcoming generations.
"The intellectuals of the world must communicate and get together, or else
politicians will make nonsense. I know that."
The Gorbachev Foundation is preparing a further visit to Germany in 1997,
including a more detailed meeting on the organization of an international
council of eminent scientists, practitioners, and artists.
General Information about the AIS:
The AIS, called into existence by the Sanmarinian government in 1983,
is organizing scientific conferences, lectures, and examinations
in the Republic of San Marino and in other countries where it is acknowledged.
The multilingual academy, among other things, strives for progress in
scientific communication by a gradual transition from the present predominance
of English to a neutral, properly planned language. To this aim, the AIS
applies the "Internacia Lingvo (ILo) de Doktoro Esperanto". All dissertations
are bilingual: In ILo, and in the author's ethnic language.
Final exams comprise a candidate lecture before an international committee of
six or eleven scientists, depending on the aspired degree. The examination
criteria are oriented to the highest level of national universities throughout
the world.
The scientific sector of the AIS is composed of academic teachers and
researchers with specific interest in the academy's goals. The AIS is
sponsored by its supporting sector, open to all individuals and institutions
agreeing to these goals.
The AIS is in the INTERNET at
http://www.forst.uni-muenchen.de/~refo/ais/