Mikhail Gorbachev once won an MTV award. Yes, really – Indy100

The world is reacting to the death of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last ever leader of the USSR, who died yesterday at the age of 91.He is remembered for his efforts to reform the USSR with the policies of glasnost and perestoika, and tributes poured in yesterday for one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.Many have focused on him receiving the award of the 1990 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the Cold War without bloodshed. Some, however, are focusing on a different award – his MTV award. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletterIt might sound bizarre, but back in 2009 Gorbachev was awarded MTV’s Free Your Mind award for his role in the fall of the Berlin wall. Who knew Gorbachev was a hit with MTV?Getty imagesA newly resurfaced clip shows the former Soviet leader being awarded the odd looking prize (shaped like an open brain) at the Bill Roedy at the Cinema for Peace Foundation dinner that year.The year marked the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall, with the MTV Free Your Mind campaign aiming to highlight humanitarian issues across the world.Who knew?Some learned about the prize for the first…
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