Address to the United Nations Youth Assembly
Delivered on July 12, 2013 (her 16th birthday, designated Malala Day) at the UN Headquarters in New York, nine months after surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban for advocating girls' education.
Full Transcript
Dear brothers and sisters, remember one thing. Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy, and every girl who has raised their voice for their rights.
On the 9th of October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends, too. They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed. And then, out of that silence came thousands of voices. 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 were born.
We realize the importance of light when we see darkness. We realize the importance of our voice when we are silenced.
So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty, and terrorism, and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world.
Defining Key Excerpts
"One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world."
"They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed."
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