Mikhail Gorbachev has received an honorary degree from Trinity College, Dublin, for his contribution to peace.
The former President of the Soviet Union, whose rule brought an end to the Cold War, promised a swift return to Dublin after the special ceremony at the university, attended by around 300 academics and guests.
Although he had visited Shannon before, this was Mr Gorbachev's first time in the Irish capital. Other statesmen honoured by the university include former South African president Nelson Mandela and Senator George Mitchell, who chaired the Northern Ireland peace talks.
After becoming Soviet president in 1991, Mr Gorbachev's reforms brought about Glasnost and Perestroika, pulling Russia out of its communist past and putting it on the path to democracy.
Tomorrow, he is set to meet President Mary McAleese. Later on, he will be given the freedom of the city of Dublin.
