On October 9, 2012, while returning home on a school bus, 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in Pakistan's Swat Valley. After miraculously surviving the assassination attempt, and months of extensive medical attention and recovery, Malala has become an international advocate for education. As Katie Baker of The Daily Beast/Newsweek reported, The attack was meant to silence her—but instead it sparked a global wave of support for Malala and her friends and spotlighted the need to fight on behalf of all children for the right to go to school.
Last Friday, July 12, on her 16th birthday, Malala addressed foreign dignitaries and youth delegates at the United Nations and urged them to support the right for girls worldwide to go to school. We at the Stowe Center were especially struck by her quote on the image above, "One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world," which closely aligns with the words of Harriet Beecher Stowe herself:
"The way to be great lies though books, now, and not through battles...there is more done with pens than swords..."
Like Stowe, Malala has shown the courage to speak out on injustices, using her voice to inspire action and lead a global movement. We think Stowe would be very proud of Malala, as the Stowe Center is, for turning an act of violence and hatred into a call to action.
What will you do to speak out like Malala and Stowe? What issue inspires you to action? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below.
What will you do to speak out like Malala and Stowe? What issue inspires you to action? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below.
You can read more about Malala's speech HERE or watch the clip below.
1 comment:
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/07/11/world/gallery/malala-is-not-alone/index.html
Mala is not alone! Read the profiles of these other brave young women who are making positive change where they live.
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