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Aung San Suu Kyi comes to Fort Wayne

Amid shouts of “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi” – Daw being a term of respect – thousands Tuesday in the Memorial Coliseum eagerly awaited the speech by the former Burmese political prisoner.

The nonviolent peace activist Suu Kyi, 67, promoted education, especially the traditional teachings and reconciliation amongBurma’s many ethnicities, but warned her countrymen that the road to democracy is a long one.

Aung San Suu Kyi holds an armful of flowers given to her by the Burmese community Tuesday morning. By Ellie Bogue

People press masks of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Ky against the glass as they wait for the doors of Memorial Coliseum to open early Tuesday morning. By Ellie Bogue

High security required admirers of Aung San Suu Kyi to leave their gifts in a designated area at Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday morning before the Burmese politician’s speech. By Lisa Esquivel Long

Lines of people pour through the Memorial Coliseum doors and up the escalator Tuesday morning before Aung San Suu Kyi’s address. By By Ellie Bogue

The crowd waits for Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday morning before her address and question-and-answer session at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

Chaw Eimahn, who goes by the name Cindy, came from Canada to hear Aung San Suu Kyi speak Tuesday morning at Memorial Coliseum. She was born in Burma, which she remembers for its lack of freedom of speech, and left at age 15 for Canada about 16 years ago. By Lisa Esquivel Long

Fred Gilbert, who works with local Burmese, wears a number of Aung San Suu Kyi-related items, including an artificial flower with the phrase in Burmese, “Be brave.” “That’s Suu Kyi’s phrase,” he said. By Lisa Esquivel Long

Fred Gilbert, who works with local Burmese, wears a number of Aung San Suu Kyi-related items. By Lisa Esquivel Long

Burmese women wear stickers with Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy flag Tuesday morning at Memorial Coliseum during preparations for the democracy leader’s speech. By Lisa Esquivel Long

Soe, who was born in Burma, his daughter, Theresa, who was born in Fort Wayne, and wife, Ratana, who was born in Thailand, wait to hear former Burmese political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi speak Tuesday morning at Memorial Coliseum. “She can change all our country,” Soe said. By Lisa Esquivel Long

Ayla Aung, 16, a sophomore at South Side High School, came to hear Aung San Suu Kyi speak Tuesday at Memorial Coliseum. By Lisa Esquivel Long

Mar Mar Lwin holds her sleeping 1-year-old daughter as she waits for Nobel Peace Prize winner and world leader Aung San Suu Kyi to speak Tuesday at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

Nobel Peace Prize winner and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is given flowers by the Burmese community as she takes the stage Tuesday morning at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

Aung San Suu Kyi gathers her gifts as she prepares to sit down Tuesday morning before her address in front of a crowd of 5,125 at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

A young woman sits enthralled by the words of Nobel Peace Prize winner and world leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday morning at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

Aung San Suu Kyi addresses the crowd Tuesday morning at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

Girls share candy during Aung San Suu Kyi’s address. By Ellie Bogue

Nobel Peace Prize winner and world leader Aung San Suu Kyi speaks to the crowd Tuesday morning at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

Aung San Suu Kyi smiles as she reads a very long question Tuesday morning during a question-and-answer session at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

Students from Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis hold signs encouraging world leader Aung San Suu Kyi to drop by their city. About 150 Burmese students from the school traveled to Fort Wayne to hear her speak. By Ellie Bogue

Aung San Suu Kyi gathers her gifts as she bids farewell Tuesday morning after her address and question-and-answer session in front of a crowd of 5,125 at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue

Aung San Suu Kyi gives one last smile before leaving the arena Tuesday morning. By Ellie Bogue

Nobel Peace Prize winner and world leader Aung San Suu Kyi bows her head in farewell Tuesday morning at Memorial Coliseum. By Ellie Bogue