Malala Yousafzai, 17-year-old advocate for girls’ education worldwide and author of the bestseller I Am Malala, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The youngest recipient of the prize since its inception in 1901, she was quoted in the New York Times as saying at a press conference in Birmingham, England:
“I’m proud that I’m the first Pakistani and first the young woman, or the first young person, who is getting this award.”
According to USA Today, Malala was in chemistry class when she heard the news, and said she was honored to share the award with Kailash Satyarthi of India, who fights the exploitation of children, adding:
“We should all consider each other as human beings, and we should respect each other. It is my message to children all around the world that they should stand up for their rights.”
Her book I Am Malala, which was banned in private schools in Pakistan, was released in 2013 by Little, Brown.