Meeting of global icons: The Dalai Lama meets Suu Kyi on her birthday

DHARAMSHALA, June 20: Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama met Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday in London on the latter’s 67th birthday.
This was the first time that the two Nobel Peace Laureates were meeting.
Speaking to Phayul, Tenzin Taklha, secretary of His Holiness the Dalai Lama said that the meeting took place in London yesterday evening.
Details of the meeting have not yet been made public.
Suu Kyi, who is currently on a five-nation European tour, delivered her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo on June 16, more than two decades after receiving the honour.
She was jailed in 1990, soon after leading her pro-democracy party to victory and spent much of the past 24 years under house arrest.
The Dalai Lama had often in the past campaigned for Suu Kyi’s release with other fellow Nobel laureates.
Soon after she was freed in late 2010, the Tibetan spiritual leader, in a message, welcomed her release.
“I welcome the release of fellow Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and extend my appreciation to the military regime in Burma. I extend my full support and solidarity to the movement for democracy in Burma and take this opportunity to appeal to freedom-loving people all over the world to support such non-violent movements,” the Dalai Lama said.
His Holiness is currently on a 15-day tour of England, Scotland, and Italy.
The Tibetan leader is scheduled to visit Westminister today and address British parliamentarians.