People gathered in cities across Burma this week to commemorate the 8888 uprising. Activists, politicians and exiles met in Rangoon in the largest public memorial ceremony marking the democracy movement’s anniversary.

The thousands who attended the event came here to honour the memories of the university students, monks, and young children who died during the military’s savage crackdown on the mass demonstrations 25 years ago.

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NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi attended the closing ceremony of the Four Eights Silver Jubilee at the Myanmar Convention Centre in Rangoon. In her speech at the event, she urged citizens to work together towards building a united country.

“In this 1988 memorial, we all meet here in unity to show good signs and well wishes for our country. But it is not enough to be doing this once in a while. We have to keep building up our unity”, she said.

Kyaw Thura, a member of the National Democratic Force party, which took part in the 1988 uprising, said the country must forgive and move forward.

“We can’t build up national reconciliation and our country can’t become a developed country if we always consider the former military in the government as enemy. We are willing to forgive and be tolerant”, he said.

Thursday was the last day of the commemoration, which was held legally for the second time since outright military rule ended in 2011.