Among those mourning the death last week of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny are the friends he made in his brief time at Yale University.
In 2010, Navalny was a member of . Each year, the program selects 16 mid-career program applicants from around the world to spend the fall semester networking and sharing ideas.
Current Yale lecturer Ted Wittenstein was in the program with Navlany and got to know him well.
鈥淗e was only at Yale for about six months,鈥� Wittenstein said. 鈥淏ut in doing that, he became part of the Yale community. And so there are a number of Yale professors and alumni and other colleagues who just have fond memories of Alexei and his family and all that, of course, he went on to represent.鈥�
He said Navalny had already gained prominence for his anti-corruption work in Russia prior to arriving in New Haven. That focus on making Russia a better place never seemed far from Navalny鈥檚 thoughts.
鈥淗e would say things like, 'You know, when I get back to Russia, we're going to try to change things,'" Wittenstein said. 鈥溾�榃e're going to expose the corruption in Russia.鈥欌��
But the seriousness of Navalny鈥檚 commitment to his life鈥檚 work didn鈥檛 keep him from enjoying New Haven. Wittenstein said Navalny developed a taste for 鈥淟ouie鈥檚 Lunch鈥� hamburgers, New Haven pizza and American football.
鈥淚 had some very funny exchanges trying to explain the rules to him at the time, but he became very passionate about it,鈥� Wittenstein said. 鈥淗e really enjoyed his time on the Yale campus.鈥�
Navalny died in a Russian prison about three years after he
鈥淗e couldn't encourage people to protest the government and risk their own lives and safety and family, if he wasn't prepared to do the same,鈥� Wittenstein said.
As people remember in fighting the regime of Russia鈥檚 President Vladimir Putin, there are voices who are also remembering Wittenstein encourages people to understand the nuance of Navalny鈥檚 attitudes.
鈥淒id Alexei have certain views as a Russian nationalist that might be out of line with how Americans or Europeans view issues? Of course,鈥� Wittenstein said. 鈥淸But] was he considerably more moderate and tolerant and respectful of human rights and human dignity than his alternative 鈥� than his opposition foe in the Russian regime in Mr. Putin? Without question.鈥� Wittenstein said. 鈥淚 do think his time on the Yale campus really did expose him to a wide range of more moderate and tolerant viewpoints.鈥�
Wittenstein said Yale鈥檚 World Fellows Program will commit to honoring Navalny's legacy. And for anyone else who wants to honor Navalny鈥檚 legacy of standing up to corruption and authoritarian rule, Wittenstein has this advice.
鈥淐ontinue to speak up and speak out against injustice everywhere,鈥� Wittenstein said. 鈥淭hat's the right way to honor Alexei, as we all go forward in our own areas of the world.鈥�
