Milan - Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has asked former football star Roberto Baggio to receive a prize the city of Rome awarded her, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported Wednesday. Baggio, 40, is to accept the prize "Rome for peace and humanitarian action" on behalf of the Nobel Peace Prize winner, who is kept under detention by the military dictatorship ruling her country. Both Suu Kyi, 62, and Baggio practice Buddhism.
It is believed that Baggio's popularity in a country where football has many followers will play up the awarding of the prize and favour the non-violent opposition methods of Suu Kyi.
The ceremony takes place Friday at Rome's Auditorium during the Christmas concert of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia.
Italy's president Giorgio Napolitano is expected to attend the concert along with Sein Win, the leader of the Myanmar's National coalition government, which was exiled after winning the elections in 1990.
