News / Asia

Burma's Opposition Leader to Address Economic Forum

Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition entitled "Aung San Suu Kyi, The Burmese Way to Democracy" at Institute of French in Rangoon, May 17, 2012. Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition entitled "Aung San Suu Kyi, The Burmese Way to Democracy" at Institute of French in Rangoon, May 17, 2012.
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Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition entitled "Aung San Suu Kyi, The Burmese Way to Democracy" at Institute of French in Rangoon, May 17, 2012.
Burma's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition entitled "Aung San Suu Kyi, The Burmese Way to Democracy" at Institute of French in Rangoon, May 17, 2012.
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VOA News
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will travel outside the country next week for the first time in more than two decades to attend an economic forum in Thailand.

A spokesperson for the Nobel laureate's National League for Democracy said Thursday that Aung San Suu Kyi will deliver a speech in Bangkok at the World Economic Forum on East Asia, being held from May 30 to June 1.

The long-time democracy activist spent most of the past two decades under house arrest before being released in 2010. Her trip will mark the first time she has left the country in 24 years.

The newly elected parliamentarian also plans to travel to Europe next month.

She will kick off her European travels with a speech to the International Labor Organization conference in Geneva on June 14.

Her trip also includes a visit to Norway, where she will formally receive the Nobel Peace Prize that she won nearly 21 years ago but was unable to accept in person because of her detention.

She later plans to address both houses of parliament in Britain, where she lived for years with her husband, who is now deceased.

The 66-year-old has not traveled outside Burma since returning to her homeland in 1988, fearing the military junta that held on to power until 2011 would not permit her to return.


Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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