Malala Yousafzai Is Harvard’s Humanitarian Of The Year

Malala Yousafzai was honored as Harvard University’s humanitarian of the year. The Pakistani teen who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban was at the US college on Friday to accept the award.

Malala was shot in the head by militants last October. Initially, officials believed the assassination attempt was in retaliation to the teen’s views on education. However, the Taliban later explained they attempted to kill Yousafzai because she was critical of the group.

Yahoo! News reports that Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust was excited to welcome Malala because of their shared interest in education.

The 16-year-old spoke about how she wants to become a politician so she can have influence on a broader scale. Malala Yousafzai also spoke about her home region of Swat Valley, adding that she hopes to return someday.

Malala also called her home “paradise,” though added that it was a dangerous area where militants have blown up schools and tried to discourage girls from seeking education. She added, “The so-called Taliban were afraid of women’s power and were afraid of the power of education.”

The New York Daily News notes that Malala also highlighted how few people spoke out against what was happening. She added, “Although few people spoke, but the voice for peace and education was powerful.”

The young activist also recalled her thoughts when she woke up in a United Kingdom hospital after the shooting. Yousafzai was taken there for emergency treatment after the assassination attempt. She stated, “And when I was in Birmingham, I didn’t know where I was, I didn’t know where my parents are, I didn’t know who has shot me and I had no idea what was happening.”

Despite the fear and the attempted assassination, Malala Yousafzai remains strong and continues to advocate for women’s rights and education.