The 22-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate shared photos of the celebration on Twitter, writing that it's "hard to express my joy and gratitude right now."
22-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has graduated from Oxford University! The world-famous girls' education advocate, who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban eight years ago, shared her good news on Twitter, posting pictures from the celebration which included a "trashing," an Oxford tradition in which new graduates are covered with foam, confetti, and food. She wrote that it's "hard to express my joy and gratitude right now as I completed my Philosophy, Politics and Economics degree at Oxford."
Born in the Swat Valley in Pakistan in 1997, Malala began writing an anonymous blog about girls' struggle for educational access for the BBC at age 11. She was attacked by the Taliban on the bus home from school in retaliation for speaking out against their suppression of girls' education. After being shot in the head, she was airlifted with her family to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, UK. The teenager eventually recovered, attended high school in Britain while continuing her activism on behalf of girls worldwide.
She founded the Malala Fund to tackle the barriers that keep girls out of school, and spoke frequently around the world about the power of girls' education. She also wrote a book about her experiences, I Am Malala (which has been adapted into a young readers edition for ages 10 and up). "The extremists are afraid of books and pens," she declared. "The power of education frightens them. They are afraid of women. The power of the voice of women frightens them."
In 2014, Malala received a tremendous honor when she became the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. At the same time, she pursued her own dreams of education and was accepted into Oxford University, where she was part of the first Oxford class where women outnumbered their male peers.
She joined the prestigious Philosophy, Politics and Economics program, a demanding course, which has produced many notable graduates, including authors, politicians, and activists. While Malala envisioned becoming prime minister of Pakistan in her youth, she's not yet announced what her next career steps will be. For the time being, however, like many recent graduates, she has a few immediate plans now that her coursework is completed: "For now, it will be Netflix, reading and sleep."
Books About Malala's Life And Work
Malala's Magic Pencil
Malala's Magic Pencil
As a child, Malala Yousafzai dreamed of having a magic pencil -- the kind that could erase the smell of garbage or even let her sleep in an extra hour! But as she got older, she realized that there were bigger problems in the world than she saw before... and that there were more important things to wish for. Most importantly, she realized that her pencil could be magic: the power of her words could make her own dreams come true and help her fight for the millions of other children like her who desperately wished for an education. Yousafzai's first picture book is uplifting and inspiring, with vibrant illustrations from Kerascoët.
Free As A Bird: The Story of Malala
Free As A Bird: The Story of Malala
In Pakistan, a baby girl is considered bad luck, but Malala's father Ziauddin disagreed. When people said girls shouldn't go to school, Malala went to secret classes, and started writing a blog about her life that people around the world read. Even when the Taliban tried to kill her, Malala would not stay quiet; she recovered and traveled around the world speaking about the importance of equal access to education. Author / illustrator Lina Maslo's poetic and inspiring telling of the life of this phenomenal activist for girls' education will make young readers ask themselves how their own voice can contribute to this important cause. For more books to share this inspiring activist's story, visit our Malala Yousafzai Collection.
Malala: Activist for Girls' Education
Malala: Activist for Girls' Education
Education was so important to Malala Yousafzai that she was willing to speak out against the oppressive Taliban regime, sharing the story of her fight to go to school with the world. Her voice was so powerful that the Taliban attempted to kill her -- but even that would not stop her, and she continued her fight for girls to have access to education from the UK, eventually becoming the youngest person ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In this beautiful picture book biography, kids will learn about Malala's life in the Swat Valley and her work since.
For The Right To Learn: Malala Yousafzai's Story
For The Right To Learn: Malala Yousafzai's Story
Malala Yousafzai grew up in a country where girls were supposed to be quiet, but with the support of her parents, she knew she had to make her voice heard. She defied the Taliban by blogging about life under their oppressive rule, insisting on the right of girls to be educated — and nearly lost her life to one of their assassins. But she survived and continued to speak out for the rights of girls in Pakistan...and around the world. This early chapter book, part of the Encounters: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books series, is a terrific way to introduce newly independent readers to Malala’s inspiring story.
Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls' Rights
Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls' Rights
I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai's memoir about risking her life for the right to go to school, has now been abridged and adapted for chapter book readers. Raised by a father from a poor background who dared to defy tradition by ensuring his daughter was educated, and an illiterate but determined mother, Malala was taught to stand up for what she believed in. When the Taliban started restricting girls' access to education in Pakistan, Malala's determination to go to school set her on a path that would make her an inspiration to the world. For more resources about this inspiring education advocate, visit our Malala Yousafzai Collection.
Who Is Malala Yousafzai?
Who Is Malala Yousafzai?
Malala's career as an international education activist began with a blog for the BBC, but it was after the shocking assassination attempt by the Pakistani Taliban that the world truly stood up and took notice. Today, she is the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and an inspiration to people around the world. With fun illustrations and useful sidebars full of information, this entry from the popular Who Was...? biography series provide background on Malala's family, life, and activism.
I Am Malala Young Readers' Edition
How One Girl Stood Up For Education And Changed The World
I Am Malala Young Readers' Edition
How One Girl Stood Up For Education And Changed The World
Tweens and teens can learn Malala's story in her own words in this youth edition of her bestselling memoir. Through her own eyes, young adult readers will learn how Malala's life changed when the Taliban took control of her once-peaceful region of Pakistan, and how she had to adjust to their oppressive rules. And yet, with the support of her family — particularly her father — Malala started writing for the BBC about her life under Taliban rule, and continued to advocate for the right to education even after they tried to silence her by taking her life. Older teens can check out the original edition of the memoir, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education and was Shot By the Taliban.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education And Was Shot by the Taliban
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education And Was Shot by the Taliban
Malala Yousafzai tells her incredible story of standing up for girls’ rights for education — first in Pakistan and now around the world — in her own words. This memoir follows Malala from her childhood with a father who encouraged his daughter to read, write, and attend school, even as the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, to the infamous October 2012 shooting, and finally to her recovery and ongoing fight for educational access. Her incredible story will inspire your Mighty Girl and give her a deeper appreciation of the freedoms she has and ignite her desire to help other girls around the world.
Let Her Fly: A Father's Journey
Let Her Fly: A Father's Journey
Malala Yousafzai is changing the world — but to do so, her father, Ziauddin, had to learn to let her fly. In this touching memoir, Ziauddin describes his childhood, as well as how he grew into a man who would break with tradition, defy the Taliban's educational restrictions, and follow his daughter onto the world stage — even if it meant fleeing the only country he'd ever known. Part family portrait and part parenting inspiration, Ziauddin's memoir reminds readers that the final gift a parent must give their child is the painful separation that comes from letting them go.
He Named Me Malala
He Named Me Malala
Malala has credited her father's support for helping give her the courage to continue her quest to ensure access to education, even after the violence she suffered at the Taliban's hands. This intimate documentary film about Malala's family, particularly her relationship with her father, was directed by David Guggenheim and captures Ziauddin Yousafzai's progressive attitude towards the daughter that many Pakistani fathers would have scorned — from the moment he named her after an Afghani folk hero who defeated the British in battle to her present work for girls' education around the world.
Speak (She Series) Print
Speak (She Series) Print
Never forget the power of raising your voice! This poster from Karen Hallion's She Series pays tribute to education activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. This 11 by 14 inch poster is printed on high quality 100lb cardstock and ships in a clear art sleeve, rolled in a cardboard mailing tube. Malala also appears on Hallion's She Series Historical Figures Collage Poster.
