World celebrates 'Malala Day' on November 10, UN extends support
November 10, 2012: With the world commemorating November 10 as 'Malala Day' in honour
of Pakistani child activist Malala Yousafzai, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon extended
his support to the young girl and her fight for education, describing her as the "global
symbol" of every girl's right to an education.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's
Special Envoy for Global Education, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has
said November 10, a month after Yousafzai was shot at by the Taliban for campaigning
for girls' education in Pakistan, has been declared Malala Day.
The day would
be commemorated in support of the 14 year old and the 32 million girls like her around
the globe who are denied their right to school, Brown said.
In his message
of support for Yousafzai and girls' education, Ban said, "Malala Yousafzai is a global
symbol of every girl's right to an education".
The UN chief said citizens from
across the globe are speaking out for Yousafzai and on behalf of the 61 million children
who do not go to school.
"I am adding my voice to the messages from over one
million people across the globe. Education is a fundamental human right. It is a pathway
to development, tolerance and global citizenship," Ban said in a brief video message
posted on the UN website.
He called the international community to join the
UN campaign to put education first "for Malala and girls and boys throughout the world".
Brown
would also deliver a petition in support of the girl and the universal right to education
to Pakistan government.
Thousands of people from across the world have signed
a global petition calling for her to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala is recovering
in a British hospital from gunshot wounds and has received messages of support for
her cause from global leaders, including US President Barack Obama.