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STORY: Myanmar democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday during a ceremony inside the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.

The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian honor awarded by the U.S. Congress. A number of prominent U.S. politicians attended the ceremony, each delivering remarks in praise of Suu Kyi.

Suu Kyi thanked the U.S. for all its support during her decades-long struggle for democracy in Myanmar.

"The great honor that you have conferred in me will be a lasting memento of the steadfast support of the United States Congress for the democratic aspirations of my people. From the depths of my heart, I thank you the people of America, and you, their representatives for keeping us in your hearts and minds during the dark years when freedom and justice seemed beyond our reach," Suu Kyi said.

Suu Kyi also met with President Barack Obama at the White House. The meeting was held in private since visits to the Oval Office are normally reserved for visiting heads of state.