FIRST BITE: ANN CURRY INTERVIEWS AUNG SAN SUU KYI

NBC News

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012 -- In an interview with Ann Curry for “NBC Nightly News,” Myanmar opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi shared her message for people around the world struggling for freedom and democracy. An early excerpt has been released for immediate use -- transcript is below and embeddable video is online here: http://nbcnews.to/OJB5yj

Suu Kyi was one of the world's most famous political prisoners until her release two years ago. Earlier this week, she met President Barack Obama at the White House and received the Congressional Gold Medal for her long fight for democracy in a country ruled by army generals since 1962.

The extended interview will air Friday on “NBC Nightly News;” all content will be available online at www.NBCNightlyNews.com.

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MANDATORY CREDIT: NBC News

ANN CURRY: What is the most important message that you have to all the people around the world that are struggling as you have for freedom and democracy?

AUNG SAN SUU KYI : It's the same struggle for everybody everywhere. Because unless we are free we can't really realize our own potential. And if we can't realize our own potential we are like a crippled tree. It would be a stunted growth. And because of that we all want to be free. Free to be able to realize one's own potential but obviously without hurting the chances of other people to realize theirs.

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FIRST BITE: ANN CURRY INTERVIEWS AUNG SAN SUU KYI