The 21st of May marks the centenary of the birth of Andrei Sakharov, one of the great physicists of the twentieth century who was also one of the world’s most courageous and renowned proponents of freedom and human rights. His name nowadays is universally linked with the quest for human rights and democracy.
As the key figure in the Soviet Union’s development of a thermonuclear bomb, Sakharov could have enjoyed a life of privilege and luxury. But to do so would have meant closing his eyes to the injustice and repression around him. This was something that Sakharov, unlike the vast majority of his colleagues in the Soviet Academy of Sciences, would not do.
The Davis Center is sponsoring a 2-part seminar series--on the 17th and 21st of May--devoted to the life and legacy of Andrei Sakharov. These two seminars bring together six speakers to discuss various aspects of Sakharov's life and work as well as his legacy in Russia today.
with Benjamin Nathans, Tatiana Yankelevich, and Nadia Boyadjieva
