Malala Yousafzai Opens School for Syrian Refugees
On Sunday, July 12, her 18th birthday and the third annual Malala Day, Nobel Peace Prize winner and girls' education activist Malala Yousafzai--star of the upcoming Fox Searchlight documentary film He Named Me Malala--opened a new school for the young women of Syria who have been forced to leave their homes due to ongoing armed conflict. The school, based near the Syrian border in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, will welcome up to 200 girls ages 14 to 18.
"I am honored to mark my 18th birthday with the brave and inspiring girls of Syria," Malala said in a statement. "Their courage and dedication to continue their schooling in difficult conditions inspires people around the world, and it is our duty to stand by them."
Students can train to receive their baccalaureate or vocational degrees through the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and they can also take skills courses intended to help them find work.
In addition, the day marked the culmination of the #BooksNotBullets campaign, an online initiative asking people to post photos of themselves with their favorite book and urge world leaders to increase support for education.
"On behalf of the world's children, I demand of our leaders to invest in books instead of bullets," Malala said. "Books, not bullets, will pave the path toward peace and prosperity... To all the students, you will read new books. You will discover new ideas. You will learn together. You will dream together. And you will inspire the world."
On October 2, Fox Searchlight will release He Named Me Malala, director Davis Guggenheim's documentary on Malala's life and work. The fall theatrical release will be followed by a spring television broadcast on the National Geographic Channels, airing in 171 countries and 45 languages. The film's launch will coincide with an international advocacy and fundraising campaign to champion girls' education in partnership with the Malala Fund.
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Photo Credit: Malin Fezehai / HUMAN for the Malala Fund
