Give up guns for books, Malala Yousafzai tells governments :: Irish Times

Malala Yousafzai

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Give up guns for books, Malala Yousafzai tells governments

Youngest Nobel peace prize recipient receives standing ovation at ceremony in Oslo

Irish Times: 12.11.2014 by Alexandra Topping

The Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai has used her Nobel peace prize acceptance speech to launch a searing attack on “strong” governments that had the resources to begin wars but not to enable universal education.

Speaking at the Nobel peace prize ceremony in Oslo she said: “Why is it that countries which we call strong are so powerful in creating wars but are so weak in bringing peace? Why is it that giving guns is so easy, but giving books is so hard?”

Raising her voice in the silent room, where she was given a rousing standing ovation at both the beginning and end of her speech, she added: “We are living in the modern age and we believe that nothing is impossible. We have reached the moon 45 years ago, and maybe we will soon land on Mars. Then, in this 21st century we must be able to give every child a quality education.”

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“I tell my story, not because it is unique, but because it is not. It is the story of many girls,” she said, pointing to her “sisters” in the crowd.

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Mr Satyarthi, (60), dedicated his prize to children in slavery. He founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan – or the Save the Childhood Movement – in 1980 and has protected the rights of 80,000 children and brought attention to a scourge that continues today. It was a momentous day, he told the audience when “a young courageous Pakistani girl has met an Indian father and an Indian father met his Pakistani daughter”.  READ MORE !