Aung San Suu Kyi addressed at the 101st International Labour Conference

Burmese democracy icon and Nobel Peace prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, visited Switzerland on June 14,2012.During her visit, she addressed at the 101st International Labour Conference in Geneva as follow:
 

 Source: ILO.ORG. 

Statement | 14 June 2012

The welcome that I have received this morning has forced me to move a little away from my prepared text, with apologies to interpreters.


Mr President of the Conference, Director-General, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, before I start on my prepared address, I would like to thank you all for this totally unexpected very warm welcome. It has moved me profoundly and I hope that in the future we shall be able to work together to build a world where all of us can move closer to one another.

I was saying to Mr Somavia – he just told me how to pronounce his name correctly – I was saying to Mr Somavia that whenever I meet people from South America I feel as though I were meeting members of my own family because we have been through the same experiences, our countries. But I think this applies to many other countries besides the ones in South America. So coming here, it feels as though I have come back to meet long lost members of my family and I hope that this will, by no means, be the last meeting.

I am one of those countless people whose lives are impacted by labour issues."

The International Labour Conference is a pioneer and an example of inclusiveness. Delegates of Workers and Employers as well as Governments coming together to find effective solutions to complex problems demonstrate the value of meaningful exchange between relevant stakeholders. However, I do not stand here as a representative of Workers or of Employers or of Government, not yet anyway. Perhaps you could accept me as the fourth element, I am one of those countless people whose lives are impacted by labour issues. I am also a politician so perhaps I could make a claim to be the fifth element as well, the element that represents the interests of the general public. I still feel a little self-conscious about referring to myself as a recently elected member of Parliament, which I presume is the correct formal definition of my status.

Photo: Reuters

Kyaw Thu's Triumph of Art Exhibition in New York City

"Security = Warmth" (36 x 40, acrylic on canvas) 

 A Burmese well-respected philanthropist & actor, Kyaw Thu, had a triumph of art exhibition in New York City over the Memorial Day weekend. Traveling from Burma, a place more than 8000 miles away from New York City, Kyaw Thu’s paintings carry colorful stories to be revealed. Some paintings represent Burmese’s culture, some speak about the artist’s desire for freedom & peace, and other reflects the history of revolutions that took place in Burma. 

In the Project Reach's room filled with Burmeses and Americans from different background, I could feel the creator’s pain, sadness and happiness through his paintings. Yes...Kyaw Thu’s paintings rock.

Kyaw Thu with his paintings

The artist named his solo show as First Break Out.

“I have been denied all rights to artistic creation in Myanmar since September 2007, when I offered alms and water to monks walking in peaceful protest and reciting prayers of love during the Saffron Revolution, all the way to my current visit to the United States. I would like to call it the first breakout, the first artistic expressions from the heart, to be able to publicly exhibit the heartfelt works I have painted during my visit to America,” Kyaw Thu said in his opening speech. 

"War and Peace"  (36 x 24, mixed media ) 

 

Colors from paintings are reflections of life. Similar to his paintings, the artist’s life is painted with colorful experiences. He is one of Burma’s best-known actors/directors (two times Burmese Academy Award winner). Besides his acting career, Kyaw Thu is the founder of the Free Funeral Services Society, an organization that provides free funeral services, free medical services, free library and free education to the poor. 

He also played a prominent role in relief projects in response to natural disasters such as Cyclone Nargis. As much as he is loved by the poor, he was oppressed by the military government. His films and paintings were banned in Burma. “An actor’s life is meaningless if he is not allowed to act,” Kyaw Thu said in one of his interviews with the media. Moreover, he and his wife were arrested for supporting the protesting monks in September Saffron Revolution in 2007. Regardless of challenges, they both continue to provide social services to less fortunate people. 

Burmese Democracy Leader Addressed the World Economic Forum

Video of Aung San Suu Kyi's speech at 2012 World Economic Forum

Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese democracy leader, has addressed the World Economic Forum in Bangkok on June 01, 2012.
 
More than 60 million of people have been kept in silent for decades in Burma. I am so proud of our leader to be able to speak for her citizens. As she spoke from her heart, she was not only inspired by her audience in the room but also by people around the world.

Video of Press Conference

"Human values are the same everywhere"  (Aung San Suu Kyi)