Hamilton students inspired by Nobel winner Malala Yousafzai

(Updated)

The young girl who captured the world with her actions after she was shot by the Taliban — is now a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Thorbjorn Jagland, Norwegian Nobel Committee Chairman: “The Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 is to be awarded to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai, for their struggle against suppression of young people and children and children’s right to education.”

Malala Yousafzai, a 17-year-old Pakistani education activist, is the youngest ever to win the award. She’s been speaking out for years. She wrote a blog under a pen name about living under Taliban rule. She spoke out against the militants, and demanded education for girls.

Then in 2012, Taliban gunmen opened fire on Malala’s school bus, shooting her in the head and neck. She survived the attack and celebrated her 16th birthday the following year, with a passionate speech at the United Nations. Today she spoke in Birmingham, England: “I had really two options. One was to not to speak and wait to be killed and the second was to speak up and then be killed. And I chose the second one.”

Many Canadians are reacting to this story today, including teachers and students.

Malala says she’s honored and proud to be the first Pakistani to be given the prestigious prize. And she’s clearly an inspiration to many of our youth here at home.

Malala Yousafzai: “I have received this award but this is not the end, this is not the end of this campaign which I have started. I think that this is really the beginning. And I want to see every child going to school.”

Grade 8 students at Saint Margaret Mary Catholic Elementary School have been wearing pink accessories all week to show their solidarity for Yousafzai. Their teacher, has been using Malala’s story to teach the curriculum unit on global citizenship.

Megan Smith, teacher: “They’re seeing that these issues although they’re in other countries they are really affecting them here in Canada and do have an effect on them and they are the ones who have to make a change in order for things to get better.”

Kinsley Bozzo, student: “I’m definitely inspired by Malala because I’d like to be as strong as her and I’d like to stand up for what I believed in.”

Puyton Williams, grade 8 student: “We gotta’ show that we care for her and what she stood up for, what she thought was right.”

While speaking in Birmingham, England where she now lives, Yousafzai said the peace prize gives her encouragement: “A girl is not supposed to be the slave, a girl has the power to go forward in her life.”

Students at Holbrook School say they’re inspired by what Yousafzai stands for. Barry Khan is a family friend of Malala’s. He says he’s proud of her accomplishments.

Barry Khan, grade 7 student: “We should all be grateful that what impacts women all over the world, they’ve been gaining education because of Malala.”

Erika Ehrenberg, grade 7 student: “It inspires me a lot because as a girl going to school it kind of feels like a luxury that I get to go to school every day and feel comfortable and feel welcome there.”

Malala is sharing the award with India’s Kailash Satyarthi. Satyarthi gave up his career as an electrical engineer to start “Save the Child,” a non-profit organization leading the movement to fight child trafficking and labor in India. Malala says he inspires her and the shared award is a symbol of love: “It doesn’t matter what’s the color of the skin what’s the language you speak, what religion you believe in. It is that we should all consider each other as human beings and we should respect each other.”

In addition to the Nobel Peace Prize announcement, the Canadian government says Yousafzai will formally receive her honorary Canadian citizenship later this month. Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged to make Yousafzai an honorary citizen during last year’s speech from the throne. He says she will visit Ottawa on October 22nd. She is the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship.