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Ulster Celebrates Freedom For Aung San Suu Kyi

13 November 2010

The University of Ulster, which awarded Aung San Suu Kyi an honorary degree last year, today hailed her release as a triumph for "the resolution, dignity and grace that has marked her leadership of the pro-democracy struggle" in her native land. 

Professor Richard Barnett, the university's Vice-Chancellor, said. "As an institution committed to freedom of thought and dedicated to democracy for all peoples, the University of Ulster rejoices at the release of our distinguished colleague, Aung San Suu Kyi. 

"She is a world exemplar of the power of non-violent democratic principles pursued with steadfastness, integrity and courage. We salute her as a voice of the powerless and a shining light in the struggle for human rights and justice in the face of oppression .

"Aung San Suu Kyi accorded our University the honour of accepting an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in July 2009 in recognition of her services to human rights . 

The degree  conferred at a ceremony which was attended by her fellow Nobel Peace laureate Professor John Hume, who is a professor at the University's Magee campus in the city of Londonderry. 

"It was conferred in absentia and accepted on her behalf by the prominent human rights activist Mrs Raza Linn, who travelled from her home on the Bangladesh-Burmese border. 

"The worldwide community of Ulster graduates hopes fervently that Aung San Suu Kyi will be able to travel to the Magee campus in Derry in the future to receive in person the plaudits and respect of the entire University."  

Note To Editors: 

1. The University of Ulster has 27,000 students. 

2. It has four campuses in Northern Ireland: two in Greater Belfast, and the others at Coleraine and Londonderry. 

3. Professor John Hume, is a former Member of Parliament at Westminster and a former member of the European Parliament. He was one of the architects of the Northern Ireland peace process which resulted to the all-party Belfast Agreement in 1998. He lives in Derry.