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World Have Your Say: The Reith Lectures

The Reith Lectures

BBC World Service - World Have Your Say, The Reith Lectures

Aung San Suu Kyi explores what freedom means in the first of the 2011 Reith Lectures

Aung San Suu Kyi explores what freedom means in the first of the 2011 Reith Lectures.

Today we have a special programme, carrying the first of this year's Reith Lectures delivered by Aung San Suu Kyi.

Her two lectures, one broadcast today and one next week, will discuss the themes of dissent and liberty and are part of a wider series, entitled Securing Freedom, reflecting on global events of the past year.

Former MI5 Director-General Baroness Manningham-Buller will present three further lectures in September.

The Reith Lectures were created as a "stimulus to thought and contribution to knowledge", and were named in honour of the BBC's first Director-General, Lord Reith.

In the lecture Ms Suu Kyi talks about how the Burmese people are as excited about the events in the Arab world as anyone else. 

She says there are notable similarities with Tunisia - both started with unimportant events. 

One humble man showed that his right to dignity was more important than anything else.

How does she inspire people involved in the Arab Spring?

To some she is an icon in Damascus. 

One BBC reporter explained how a woman in Syria had led demonstrators onto the street in the face of army snipers, using Aung as inspiration.

Listen to Aung San Suu Kyi's lecture in full and post your reaction on our blog.

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