Although she begins slowly, she does not appear even slightly nervous: “I don’t know where to begin… what people will be
expecting me to say.”
Malala: "Malala day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights...Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them."
Malala: "They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed. And then, out of that silence came, thousands of voices. The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born."
Ever the student, Malala reads in the hospital during her recovery.
Malala says she speaks for all boys and girls, and for their right to dignity, peace, equality, opportunity, and education. "I am here to speak up for the right of education of every child."
Explaining why she was shot, Malala says: "The extremists are afraid of books and pens... the power of women frightens them."This appears to be tragically true: Taliban attacks on Pakistani girls' schools continue, says the New York Times. Malala turns her speech to address Secretary General Ban Ki-moon directly: "Peace is necessary for education. In many parts of the world especially Pakistan and Afghanistan; terrorism, wars and conflicts stop children to go to their schools." This statement must be poignently felt by Syrian students who can no longer attend schools in the ongoing conflict. Malala: "We call upon all governments to ensure free compulsory education for every child all over the world... to fight against terrorism and violence, to protect children from brutality and harm."
