UNESCO Prize Award ceremony

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News Paris, France - 9th December 2011

Ambassador Madanjeet Singh’s video conference message of congratulations to Mme Aung San Suu Kyi on the award of the 2002 UNESCO-Madanjeet Sigh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence, that the military dictators in Burma prevented her from receiving for a decade.

Respected Daw Suu ji ― I am a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. You would perhaps recall that in 1963 I met you for the first time when you were a student  at the Lady Shri Ram College in New Delhi. At that time I was an Under Secretary in the Ministry of External Affaires and your illustrious mother Ambassador Khin Kyi use to invite me often to receptions and parties at the Burmese Embassy.

Ever since I have keenly followed the tragic political scenario in your country after your father Bogyoke Aung San was assassinated and the military dictators kept you in prison for 15 years after your National League for Democracy party won the general election in 1990.

In 2002 you were awarded the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and No-Violence, but only now the new Burmese government has permitted you to accept the Prize amount of US 100,000/- dollars

You would be glad to know that the South Asia Foundation (SAF) has established a UNESCO Madanjeet Singh institute of excellence in the newly created Nalanda University - like all 12 institutions we have established in the eight SAARC countries. May I take this opportunity to earnestly request you to kindly become the Chief Patron of the Nalanda Institute devoted to Theravada Studies - just as in Kashmir we have set up an institute for the studies of Sufi-Bhakti-Rishi culture.

Daw Suu ji, please accept my profound respects and good wishes. Thank you

Madanjeet Singh