US Liberty Medal: Youngest Winner Malala

I am always quite excited about this little girl and the list of her achievements. Right from the day 1 challenge of standing up to an oppressive force to winning a gold medal and taking a grand gesture to invite the heads of two sparring nations to give an opportunity for a peaceful talk and now winning the prestigious US Liberty Medal. And she is only 17 and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize. The Liberty medal is given to people who have shown immense courage and conviction to strive for liberty to people around the world

The earlier winners of US Liberty Medal are

– Mohammad Ali (2012) –

– Stephen Speilberg (2009)

– Michael Gorbachev (2008)

– Kofi Annan (2001)

Complete list of recipients of US Liberty Medal is available here

And Malala is amongst these names today. Indeed it is quite an honor to be placed among the giants of this world who have made such a huge difference.

Granted that she is a young girl and granted that most people will have their say against her receiving the nobel or the liberty medal, but I believe what she has done is incredibly beautiful. She has stood up for something which she believed was a fundamental right and the message she spreads to people around the world are intense

– To stand up for one’s right

– To fight for what someone believes in

– Face fear right in the eye

And a lot more. Now that she is a celebrity, I am sure there will be a lot of comments in favour and a few more against her too, but nothing would take my mind away from a beautiful quote from this young woman

“I decided because I had two options: one was not to speak and wait to be killed, the second was to speak and then be killed,” said Yousafzai. “I chose the second.”

For all those people who say that she didn’t deserve it, well, when was the last time we stood up for something we believed in?

Source:

Financial Express