Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to Burmese population in Fort Wayne

Videos 1 and 2: Entire speech by Aung San Suu Kyi. 

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) Aung San Suu Kyi, political prisoner, advocate of democracy, "mother of Burma," spoke to thousands at Memorial Coliseum Tuesday.

Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry and Indiana Senator Dan Coats spoke to the crowd before Suu Kyi was introduced. 

Photo Gallery: Aung San Suu Kyi visits Fort Wayne

Suu Kyi took the stage shortly after 9:20 a.m. to a standing ovation from the crowd. In her speech, she encouraged the elder Burmese population in Fort Wayne to create classes to teach children Burmese; she asked people to "please don't forget your native language. take pride in your culture and your traditions and heritage and learn your language."

She spoke until just after 9:30 a.m. at which time she took pre-submitted questions from the audience.

One audience member asked a question in English: "What can we do to help you?"

Suu Kyi responded that the United States has already done a lot to help. The country is now at an important and delicate time. Myanmar is not at a democracy now, it is just at the beginning of the road. It will be a difficult period during which the country sorts out what is necessary. She said it seems like progress is being made with regards to raising awareness to the situation in her country. She told the audience member that they could support her and her country by continuing to keep up awareness of what is happening and what the country needs in respect to progress. She said not to look at surface of things, that, in the end, real progress is reflected in lives of ordinary people.

Aung San Suu Kyi spoke primarily in Burmese and addressed the Burmese population in Fort Wayne on Tuesday, Sept. 25.

The following is the English translation transcript of Aung San Suu Kyi's speech, courtesy the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI:

Thank you for enthusiastically welcoming, especially our ethnic population, and all the people that are here gave welcomed me heart feltly.

It is very important for us to learn that we are all the same, that we should not discriminate between those who can learn and those who cannot learn.

We are all the same.

Those who can learn is not only for a country but for the whole world. It will be valuable for the whole world. We need to be humble and learn.

We must know that we have to learn and there is still more to learn.

Those of you who are here need to know and put in your heart that we have many more to learn and gain knowledge and to continue pursuing knowledge.

We are now at the beginning of a path of democracy and we should endeavor to continue to walk through this path to attain this.

We all learn to get an education not only from the platform but from our life, to learn from our life experiences, learning from a classroom would just be a part of the education but not the whole education of life.

There may be some of us who already citizens of this country and some of us who are still Burmese citizens and we welcome both.

We did not think that you have separated from us because you have become citizens of another country.

We know that you are still connected to us and still part of our country. We do not separate or discriminate between people who are different.

We have to be loyal to the country where we are and we should all behave in a way that people of the countries that we reside would have respect forever.

Because I listen to the radio quite often, I often hear the term "Fort Wayne." I learn that the people here from Burma in Fort Wayne are very, very enthusiastic and I know that sometimes there are conflicts between people.

That is a very human trait but we can all reconcile and overcome any conflict.

I would like to ask everyone to be united.

I also want to say to you not to be jealous, not to have envy. We need to control our feelings of envy and jealousy so that we can unite, join hands, and work towards our goals.

I would like to request that you should not have feelings that would cause discord. These feelings are not something that cannot be corrected. We can change and correct these bad feelings.

Take pride in every one of us. Do not feel envy for those that are more successful than you. Show respect and kindness to each other.

I would appreciate and be very grateful if you could look back to your home country, which is Burma, and I will-- we cannot demand that you come back to Burma and I do not ask the authorities, however I will try my best for anyone who wishes to return to Burma to be able to come back and we should all work together to achieve this goal.

I support-- now at this time I would be happy to answer any question and answer.

Thank you very much.