Activist, feminist, and global icon Malala Yousafzai has been named a UN Messenger of Peace, becoming the youngest person ever to receive the United Nations’ highest honor.
This is not the first time the 19-year-old activist, whose work advocating for the educational rights of Pakistani girls birthed a global movement, has broken a record. In 2014, she became the youngest ever Nobel laureate when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
UN Messengers of Peace are chosen by the United Nations to help focus the world’s attention on particular goals. Yousafzai will be a UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on girl’s education.
Yousafzai accepted the award in New York on Monday night, using her speech to call on girls to believe in and stand up for themselves.
Other current UN Messengers of Peace include Leonardo DiCaprio for climate change and Charlize Theron for the prevention of HIV and elimination of violence against women.
Here’s to many more years of Malala inspiring us all with her strength, her generosity, and her amazing commitment to justice.
Top image via Flickr
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