"Wallenberg@UM-Flint" Lecture to Feature Nobel Peace Prize Winner Aung San Suu Kyi

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Aung San Suu Kyi

The tradition of Wallenberg@UM-Flint continues with a showing of the address of the University of Michigan Wallenberg Medalist from October 2011.  The UM Wallenberg Medalist for 2011 was Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the Burmese democratization movement and a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

The Wallenberg Medal honors the life and legacy of Raoul Wallenberg, a 1935 graduate of the University of Michigan, who saved the lives of tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews near the end of World War II.

Despite complications and restrictions associated with the Burmese military government and United-States-Burma diplomatic relations, the University of Michigan managed to fly a camera crew to her home in Rangoon to record the lecture and then to arrange a live question and answer session through Skype. Undaunted and fearless through many years of detention and efforts to intimidate her, in speaking out for democracy and human rights in Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi exemplifies the courage and the commitment to humanitarian values of Raoul Wallenberg.

The DVD  includes an introduction to the event,  a retelling of Wallenberg's story, an introduction to Aung San Suu Kyi, her address, and the live question and answer session.

The campus and community are welcome to join the event on Monday, January 30 at 5:00 p.m. in Room 111 in David M. French Hall. Light refreshments will be served.

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