Mikhail Gorbachev was the last head of state of the Soviet Union, and helped to bring about a peaceful end to the Cold War, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990. He has since remained active in global and humanitarian affairs, most notably through his leadership of the Gorbachev Foundation. He is also the founder of the Geneva-based Green Cross International, an independent nongovernmental organization that addresses security, poverty, and environmental degradation.