New York, Sep 22 (IANS): UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has praised Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi for her work towards establishing peace and democracy in her country.

Ban Friday lauded Suu Kyi's "commitment to peace, security and human rights" and called the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner a "global symbol of human rights", Xinhua reported.

"We have great expectations and hope that she will lead this path of reconciliation and greater participatory democracy and development of her country, together with (Myanmar) President Thein Sein," Ban said.

"Let us work together for your country's democratization and many other countries and peoples who may look to you, to your leadership and vision," Ban told Suu Kyi.

Suu Kyi, also chairperson of Myanmar's 15-member central-level Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility of the Lower House, is on a 17-day historic official visit to the US, her first in 24 years, on the invitation of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

She will also take part in the launch of Ban's initiative Education First at the UN next week.

Suu Kyi, the chairperson of the National League for Democracy, was elected member of the Myanmar parliament in April. She was under house arrest for 16 years in Myanmar as a political prisoner until November 2010.