17-year-old Malala breaks record as youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner
History was made as 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai became the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
According to Mail Online….
Children’s rights activists Malala Yousafzai, 17, has spoken of her joy at winning the Nobel Peace Prize – a statement she waited to make until she had finished school for the day.
Speaking from her school in Birmingham, Malala thanked her father Ziauddin for ‘not clipping her wings’, and how she had to be taken out of chemistry class to be told she had won. Miss Yousafzai became a household name after her campaigning for girls’ right to education led to an assassination attempt by the Taliban two years ago, and has worked tirelessly as a human rights campaigner following her recovery.
‘Normally when I go and speak like this, the only issue I face is usually that the podium is taller than me,’ the young winner joked as she took to the stage at her school in Birmingham. I feel honoured to be chosen as a Nobel laureate and that I have been honoured with this precious award and I am proud to be the first Pakistani, the first young person and young woman to win.’
Malala, who is the youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner, spoke of how she found out she was the joint winner, during a chemistry class on Friday morning.
‘I was in chemistry class and we were looking at electrolytes, it was about 10.15am. I was not expecting I would get this award, and by 10.15am I was sure I had not,’ she said. Then my teacher took me to one side and told me, I was totally surprised. I decided that I would not leave my school, so I finished my schooltime and went to physics and English,’ adding how all her teachers and school friends had praised her. I want to thank my family, my dear mother, my dear father. My father did not give me something extra, but what he did, he did not clip my wings. I am thankful to him for letting me fly. I’m proud that I’m the first Pakistani and the first young woman, or the first young person, who is getting this award.’
[READ MORE: Malala’s Visit Spurns President Jonathan To Meet Parents Of Chibok Girls]
Malala spoke of how honoured she was to receive the award and to share it with fellow children’s rights campaigner Kaliash Satyarthi.
‘This is not just a piece of metal or a medal or an award you keep in your room. This is not the end, this is not the end of my campaign, this is the beginning. [In Pakistan] I had two options, one was not to speak and wait to be killed and the second was to speak up and then be killed, I chose the second.’
The Nobel Peace Prize committee said: ‘Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education, and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations.
‘This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances.
‘Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls’ rights to education.’
Source: dailymail.co.uk