Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai (16) last night claimed her International Peace Award in Co. Tipperary.
She addresses a gathering at the Ballykisteen Hotel in Ballykisteen after flying into Ireland especially for the ceremony.
The teenager, who has survived an attempt on her life by the Taliban, said she wants to be remembered for her efforts in education and not for the violent attack she survived.
Malala is now in school in Great Britain, and continues to campaign for the schooling of girls in her home country. She comes from the Swat valley in Pakistan, where the Taliban maintains a strong presence. In 2012 militants shot her in the head while she was on a school bus.
She was rushed to hospital where surgeons removed a bullet from her head. She was later flown to the UK for additional treatment where she had titanium plate and cochlear implant fitted. She has remained in the UK where she returned to school in March and continues to campaign for every child’s right to education.
She came to the Taliban's attention because of a blog she has been writing for the BBC since the age of 11.
On accepting her award, she joined a club of previous winners including Nelson Mandela, Benazir Bhutto, Bill Clinton and Bob Geldof.
Malala Yousefzai in Tipperary last night
Malala has previously been named one of the world’s top 100 most influential people by Time Magazine and is a nominee for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. She has been called the world’s most influential teenager.
Malala has also supported Plan Ireland’s “Because I am a Girl” campaign, by “Raising her Hand” for girls’ education. This was the first time she has supported an international non-governmental organisation’s education initiative.
Mike Mansfield of Plan Ireland said, “Malala’s story has struck a chord across the world. This young campaigner has become an inspiration to millions. This is an extraordinary, brave young women who, when faced with death refused to give up and refused to be silent.
However, we mustn’t forget there are millions of ‘other Malalas’ across the world, a whole generation of girls and boys who are excluded daily from learning by violence, discrimination or harmful traditional practices. Plan is working with these “other Malalas”, the one in five girls globally who are denied an education or the one in three girls every second who is forced to enter a child marriage.”
The Tipperary Peace Prize was established in the early 1980s. Annually, an individual who has made a special contribution to the cause of peace is selected and honoured.
