Pakistan's Malala, shot by Taliban, takes education plea to U.N.
- 11 years ago
A sweet 16 birthday like no other.
Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani school girl shot by the Taliban for advocating education for girls, marked her 16th birthday on Friday with a speech at the United Nations.
She called for free compulsory schooling for all children.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) MALALA YOUSAFZAI, CHILDREN'S EDUCATION ADVOCATE, SAYING:
"The terrorists thought that they would change my aims and stop my ambitions but nothing changed in my life, except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born."
It was her first speech since her attackers shot her in the head while she was leaving school in October.
The U.N. named Friday "Malala Day".
In Islamabad, Hamid Mir, the TV anchor who interviewed Malala before her attack said the brave teenager deserves the acknowledgment.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANCHOR OF PRIVATE TELEVISION CHANNEL WHO FIRST INTRODUCED MALALA ON HIS TV SHOW, HAMID MIR, SAYING:
"When
Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani school girl shot by the Taliban for advocating education for girls, marked her 16th birthday on Friday with a speech at the United Nations.
She called for free compulsory schooling for all children.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) MALALA YOUSAFZAI, CHILDREN'S EDUCATION ADVOCATE, SAYING:
"The terrorists thought that they would change my aims and stop my ambitions but nothing changed in my life, except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born."
It was her first speech since her attackers shot her in the head while she was leaving school in October.
The U.N. named Friday "Malala Day".
In Islamabad, Hamid Mir, the TV anchor who interviewed Malala before her attack said the brave teenager deserves the acknowledgment.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) ANCHOR OF PRIVATE TELEVISION CHANNEL WHO FIRST INTRODUCED MALALA ON HIS TV SHOW, HAMID MIR, SAYING:
"When