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Aung San Suu Kyi recalls 'happy' Oxford days | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said her memories of her time in Oxford had helped her while she was under house arrest. | |
She was speaking as she accepted an honorary civil law doctorate from Oxford University. | |
Ms Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest in Burma for more than two decades, received the advanced degree - 19 years after she was awarded it. | |
Memories like "reading on the lawn" while a student had sustained her. | |
At the ceremony she in turn was praised for her "endurance" while under house arrest. | |
In her speech the pro-democracy leader said: "During the most difficult years, I was upheld by memories of Oxford. | |
"Those were among the most important inner resources that helped me to cope with all the challenges I had to face." | |
She said the memories were simple ones like "summer days like these, reading on the lawn at St Hugh's" and "being in the library not looking at a book but out of the window". | |
She continued: "It helped me to understand the people of Burma, who wanted to live a happy life and had never been given the opportunity to live one." | |
Ms Suu Kyi said young people in Burma were not able to have a similar college experience because their university life had been "shattered". | |
She received a two-minute standing ovation at the end of her minute speech. | |
'High point' | 'High point' |
Presenting the award, Oxford's Public Orator, Professor Richard Jenkyns of Lady Margaret Hall, said Ms Suu Kyi was returning to "a city full of memories" for her. | |
"For many years you bore the burden of isolation, displaying patience and endurance to a degree not easily imagined. | "For many years you bore the burden of isolation, displaying patience and endurance to a degree not easily imagined. |
"We hail you with joy as you appear in Oxford once more: as for yourself, we do not know what mixture of emotions you feel, and it would be impertinent to intrude on them." | "We hail you with joy as you appear in Oxford once more: as for yourself, we do not know what mixture of emotions you feel, and it would be impertinent to intrude on them." |
BBC's world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge said this was a "high point" of Ms Suu Kyi's four-day visit to the UK. | BBC's world affairs correspondent Mike Wooldridge said this was a "high point" of Ms Suu Kyi's four-day visit to the UK. |
The Nobel Laureate read philosophy, politics and economics at St Hugh's College Oxford in the 1960s. | The Nobel Laureate read philosophy, politics and economics at St Hugh's College Oxford in the 1960s. |
She worked in New York and Bhutan before settling back in Oxford in the 1980s with her husband Tibetan scholar Michael Aris, and their sons Alexander and Kim. | |
She became the leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement when she returned to Burma in 1988, initially to look after her sick mother. | She became the leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement when she returned to Burma in 1988, initially to look after her sick mother. |
The 67-year-old was placed under house arrest by the military and not released until November 2010. | |
Her two-week-long tour to Europe - her first since 1988 - includes visits to the UK, Switzerland, France and Norway. | Her two-week-long tour to Europe - her first since 1988 - includes visits to the UK, Switzerland, France and Norway. |
In Norway, she was presented with her Nobel Peace Prize, 21 years after it was awarded to her in 1991. | In Norway, she was presented with her Nobel Peace Prize, 21 years after it was awarded to her in 1991. |
On Tuesday she met fellow Nobel Laureate the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who had joined campaigns for her release. |
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