Opponents of Burma's military junta marked the 60th birthday of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, with solemn protests across Asia, including a 500-strong gathering in the Burmese capital.
In Washington, US President George W. Bush added his voice to the world-wide chorus of those demanding Yangon's generals release the Nobel Laureate from house arrest, and honour the results of 1990 elections they lost by a landslide.
Given the isolation and intransigence of those in charge of the former British colony, which has been under military rule for more than four decades, making noises and gestures from afar is just about all the junta's opponents can do.
"I send my best wishes to Aung San Suu Kyi for her 60th birthday," Bush said in a statement echoing the thoughts of other leaders and Nobel Laureates, including South African archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader.
"Her strength, courage, and personal sacrifice in standing up for the oppressed people of Burma have inspired those who stand for freedom," Bush said.
United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan was among those appealing yet again for the release of Suu Kyi, who has spent nine of the last 16 years behind bars or under house arrest. Her latest stretch of detention began in May 2003.
In Myanmar's leafy capital Yangon, where roadblocks around Suu Kyi's lakeside home keep away everybody except for her doctor, around 500 people met at the dilapidated headquarters of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
After a ceremony to raise money for other political prisoners, such as Suu Kyi's party number two, Tin Oo, members released ten pigeons and 60 helium-filled balloons into the air to chants of "Long live Aung San Suu Kyi".
Across the road, dozens of plainclothes security policemen looked on, taking photographs and recording the event with video cameras.
"I miss her every second," 40-year-old sympathiser Ma Nyein Nyein told journalists. "I still have a brother in prison. I pray for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Uncle U Tin Oo every day."