Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi will touch down in Dublin today for a six-hour visit to the Irish capital.
Thousands of supporters are expected to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate as she delivers an open-air address and receives the freedom of Dublin city - 12 years after she was awarded the accolade.
Rock star Bono and fellow aid campaigner Sir Bob Geldof will also stage a special tribute concert, where Ms Suu Kyi will be presented with Amnesty International's prestigious Ambassador of Conscience award.
Aung San Suu Kyi is to touch down in Dublin today for a special award
Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's secretary general, said the human-rights organisation was tremendously honoured to welcome Ms Suu Kyi to Dublin.
"Celebrating her freedom is encouragement to millions of our supporters around the world to keep up the fight for freedom and human rights," she added.
Ms Suu Kyi was under house arrest or in prison for 15 of the last 24 years until her release last November.
The human-rights campaigner, who has accepted a Nobel Peace Prize she was awarded while under house arrest 21 years ago, is visiting Europe for the first time since 1988.
She will touch down at Dublin airport at 3pm, where she will be greeted by Foreign Affairs Minister Eamon Gilmore.
Ms Suu Kyi will meet Irish president Michael D Higgins before she attends a special concert at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in her honour - where she will also be conferred with an honorary degree from Trinity College Dublin.
Bono, Sir Bob, musician Damien Rice, the Riverdance ensemble, actress Vanessa Redgrave and hip hop supremo Lupe Fiasco will be among the leading figures from the world of arts and music celebrating the event.
Outside, a scroll commemorating the visit will be presented to Ms Suu Kyi, who will sign the Roll of Honorary Freedom of the City and give a public address at 8pm.
When the Freedom of the City was conferred on Ms Suu Kyi on March 18 2000, the award was accepted on her behalf by her son Kim.
Members of the Karen community, Burma's largest ethnic minority, will perform a short piece of traditional Karen music and a special birthday cake will be given to Ms Suu Kyi, who celebrates her 67th birthday tomorrow in the UK.