Malala Yousafzai opened the new £188million civic library in Birmingham Tuesday and spoke to the crowd, telling them 'pens and books are the weapons that defeat terrorism'
Malala Yousafzai opened the new £188million civic library in Birmingham Tuesday and spoke to the crowd, telling them 'pens and books are the weapons that defeat terrorism.'
The tireless campaigner for women's rights, who was shot at point blank range in her native Pakistan by the Taliban when she was only 14-years-old, warmed the 1000-strong crowd's hearts as she spoke outside the new Library of Birmingham, a 333,000 square foot space covered in 5,357 interlocking metal circles and housing around a million books.
'Birmingham is very special for me because it is here that I found myself alive, seven days after I was shot,' 16-year-old Malala told the crowd outside the new £188million building.
'It is now my second home, after my beloved Pakistan. The doctors and nurses of this town worked hard to help me recover.
'The teachers of this town strived to rehabilitate my educational career, and the great people of this city gave me great moral support.'
Malala, who will be presented with the International Children's Peace Prize at the end of the week for her work on children's rights and girls' education, also used the opportunity as a call to action.
'We must speak up for the children of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan who are suffering from terrorism, poverty, child labour and child trafficking. Let us help them through our voice, action and charity. Let us help them to read books and go to school.
'And let us not forget that even one book, one pen, one child and one teacher can change the world.'
What. An. Inspiration.
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