The package of materials, which included the degree parchment, doctoral hood and video of the ceremony, was recently delivered on behalf of Memorial University by Ron Hoffmann, Canada’s ambassador to Thailand and newly appointed ambassador to Myanmar. (Mr. Hoffmann is seen in the photo to the right presenting the materials to Aung San Suu Kyi).
In 2004, Memorial bestowed an honorary doctor of letters degree on the renowned democracy advocate. The problem was that she was under house arrest in Burma at the time and, for the most part, incommunicado. So the degree was presented in absentia.
Fast forward to 2011 and, with the help of Canadian consular staff, the task of bestowing the degree was completed. Ambassador Hoffman also used the occasion to present her with an honorary doctorate bestowed earlier this year by Carleton University, which she was able to accept at the time only via video link.