“When Citizens Lead…”
The years directly following WWII up until the early 1990s marked the time frame in which the United States and the former Soviet Union spent a half-century challenging each other and perpetuating misconceptions and stigmas about the other and its people. With two superpowers refusing to establish friendly relations, mostly on the basis of political ideology, it opened up the opportunity for citizens to step in and make a difference. Kimberly Weichel, our story contributor for today, can tell of the impact citizens made with other citizens during the Cold War era.
"We had opportunities to meet with many people in their apartments over dinner. This was by far the most inspirational part of the trip...I learned that our similarities were far greater than our differences."
When governments wouldn't lay down differences in the name of diplomacy, citizens took the lead. Read Kimberly's story on traveling to the Soviet Union and Russia with "Women in Leadership" to engage with citizens in the name of citizen diplomacy. Feel free to leave comments and remarks with your reaction.
I met Sharon Tennison of the Center for US-USSR Initiatives in San Francisco in early 1986. I was inspired and intrigued with her work in the former Soviet Union, and she invited me to several gatherings at the Center. Then came an invitation I couldn't refuse - to go on a two week 'Women in Leadership' trip to Russia in April, 1986. There were 50 women leaders from all over the U.S., including several in political office.
It was an amazing journey, and one that would indeed change my life. Here I was finally in the land of our "enemy" (a term I've never liked) and I was now going to meet the real Russian people. I had many mixed feelings " my fears, hesitation, and concern were mixed with my excitement and sense of adventure" which were intertwined during the course of my trip.
We had opportunities to meet with many people in their apartments over dinner. This was by far the most inspirational part of the trip. Sitting in people's cramped kitchens talking about our lives - ordinary people with the same concerns and hopes we had for our families, our countries and our future. I learned that our similarities were far greater than our differences.
A highlight of the trip was a nine-hour bus journey through the dramatic scenery of the Caucasus mountains between Tblisi, Georgia and Mahachkala, Dagestan, on the Caspian Sea.
Dagestan is an independent republic and is largely Muslim. When we arrived, most of the city came out to greet us. For many, it was the first time they had met an American. We were
welcomed by a display of dancers dressed in native costumes. An entourage of media covered our arrival, and we were greeted with bouquets of flowers from our hosts. The display of
warmth and friendship calmed any anxieties. We stayed in homes and had a real opportunity to get to know people first hand. I grew through these conversations.
There are few times in life when one has an opportunity to witness a society in the midst of a major transition, and I found it a fascinating study to observe the period of Glasnost (openness) and Perestroika (economic restructuring) over the seven trips I made to the former Soviet Union between 1986-1996. It led to increasingly uninhibited public debate, particularly in the media. It permeated the cultural milieu, with new plays and films critical of the Stalin era. The Stalin period was being re-evaluated, and history books were being rewritten. There was a renewal of dialogue between church and state. Small businesses were beginning to flourish and old laws were under review. Everyone we spoke with welcomed these changes, and said there was no going back due to the internal and external forces pushing it forward.Citizen diplomacy was invaluable in reducing misunderstandings, and necessary to bridge relations between our countries. Its motto - "When the citizens lead, the leaders will eventually follow", became my personal motto, and still is.
~Kimberly Weichel
Posted Monday, July 12, 2010