Malala Yousafzai by Shirin Neshat at the National Portrait Gallery
Pakistani advocate Malala Yousafzai has relentlessly fought for girls’ right to education for more than a decade. Garnering worldwide support for her quest, she is now the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate in history, and has established the Malala Fund, a charity dedicated to giving every girl an opportunity to achieve a future she chooses. The Oxford graduate continues to fight to ensure all girls receive 12 years of free, safe, and quality education.
In honor of her 24th birthday today (July 12), we reflect on 10 of her most inspiring quotes below.
On education:
“One child, one teacher, one pen, and one book can change the world.”
From her book I am Malala
On taking initiative:
“Some people only ask others to do something. I believe that, why should I wait for someone else? Why don’t I take a step and move forward?”
On global peace:
“I truly believe the only way we can create global peace is through not only educating our minds, but our hearts and our souls.”
On the future:
“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.”
On global struggles:
“So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty, and terrorism, and let us pick up our books and pens.”
At the Youth Takeover of the UN
Photo: Instagram/@malala
On achieving goals:
“If we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.”
At the Youth Takeover of the UN
On speaking up:
“When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.”
From her book I am Malala
On humanity:
“Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human.”
From her book I am Malala
On confidence:
“My mother always told me, ‘hide your face, people are looking at you.’ I would reply, ‘it does not matter; I am also looking at them.'”
From her book I am Malala
On women’s rights:
“If one man can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?”
From her book I am Malala
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