Three Things I Learned from Malala
On Monday, April 10th, Girl Up club leaders like me had the opportunity to hear Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize Winner and UN Secretary-General António Guterres speak about girls’ education. Malala was also officially presented as the youngest UN Messenger of Peace and will focus on girls’ education.
Girl Up Club leaders Chloe Weinstein, Kushi Gandhi, and I were able to ask Malala and the Secretary-General questions. It was a truly incredible experience to hear Malala speak! Like many Girl Up supporters, she is one of my role models.
There were three takeaways from the event that I want to share with you all:
1. I learned that most refugees want to go back to their home country and improve it.
Sara Mardini, a Syrian refugee who swam with her sister for three hours in the ocean to reach land, was able to ask Malala and the UN Secretary-General António Guterres a question. She asked them about what refugee girls tell them about their education and hopes for the future when they travel to refugee camps. Malala said that Syrian refugees often say that they want to become a doctor or teacher. They want to receive their education and then go back home to rebuild their country in order to create peace.