Canadian Museum for Human Rights

July 12 is known around the world as Malala Day. Not only is it Malala Yousafzai's birthday, it is also the anniversary of her historic address to the United Nations in 2013 on her 16th birthday. At the time, Malala was the youngest person to address the UN.

Malala is a Pakistani education activist, particularly for the 31 million girls around the world who don't have access to schooling. When she was 15 years old, she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman for her work advocating that girls everywhere should have the same rights as boys to attend school.

Not only did she survive the attempt on her life, she became an internationally recognized human rights activist, an accomplished author and the youngest person ever to be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. In 2017, the Museum was honoured to feature an exhibit called “Girl of Courage: Malala's Fight for Education,” where visitors could witness her Nobel Peace Prize diploma and the school uniform she was wearing the day she was shot.

“Let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism. Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.” - Malala Yousafzai, July 12, 2013

📷 : Photo 1: Antonio Zazueta Olmos