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NEW YORK: Pakistan’s newest Nobel laureate and first Oscar winner were honoured as “gamechangers” of 2014 at an awards ceremony hosted by the Asia Society at the United Nations on Thursday.
Young education activist Malala Yousafzai and filmmaker Sharmeen-Obaid Chinoy were among the 13 recipients of the award, shaped like a leogryph, which recognised the efforts of prominent personalities that create a better future for Asia.
When asked how Malala reacts to criticism from certain quarters back home, co-founder of the Malala Fund Shiza Hasan told Dawn that it does not deter her.
“Malala likes to focus on the positive, she knows that thousands if not millions around the world are supporting her - including in Pakistan where incredible educators, activists and advocates are taking risks everyday to fight the struggle… so she feels it’s not about me; let’s fight this battle for education and focus on kids getting in schools."
Indian award winner Madhav Chavan, whose charitable organisation Pratham provides low-cost education to slum children in India was overheard saying that while few in his country knew the name of Kailash Sathyarthi, everyone knew Malala.
“Malala is universally love,” he told Dawn. “She is a wonderful person. She is a symbol of great courage and resistance to injustice. The welcome in India was tremendous and had nothing to do with her nationality.”
Other notable recipients of the award were Shigeru Ban, Illac Diaz, Fashion Girls for Humanity, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, Saad Mohseni, Jacqueline Novogratz, Playing for Change, Pawan Sinha and Zhang Minxuan.
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On DawnNews
Oct 17, 2014 05:38pm
its extremely sad to see peoples reaction in Pakistan about Malala - absolutely .... I don't have words
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Oct 17, 2014 05:41pm
As she is doing the right thing, she is rightly not worried about criticism back home. Those who succumb to jealousy will criticise her.
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Oct 17, 2014 05:55pm
There are many people in our country who have a sick mind and they always find wrong in every thing ,including Malala.
She is pride of our nation and we love her courage and support her in the efforts for change,
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Oct 17, 2014 06:13pm
There are some people in Pakistan who think it is smart to belittle great people with some absurd arguments. They are sick.
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Oct 17, 2014 06:18pm
Who cares about the criticism, there are always, people who criticize or hate change, but change is the only constant thing.
Let's be positive, and let's keep moving forward, once we prove to be right, these critics will jump the wagon in no time.
Let's be the change we want to see in our society, uphold the values of respect, tolerance, and justice for everybody.
May God bless, Malala, Pakistan, and rest of the world.
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Oct 17, 2014 06:50pm
@Harmony :what has she managed to change.
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Oct 17, 2014 06:51pm
sorry guys but the truth is had malala been killed in a drone attack you would have never even heard of her name. no one is against her but the conspiracy behind her is the one what matters, there is no comparison between her and dr abdus salam (the truely deserving one) so stop being cynical about this issue
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Oct 17, 2014 06:57pm
@naveed - Definitely not your closed mind.
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Oct 17, 2014 07:02pm
@Harmony i would love to see you vote her in 2022 elections and trust me you wont cast a vote for her if you are a pakistani or in Pakistan?
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Oct 17, 2014 07:03pm
@A HAIDER - I am shocked how casually you say "had malala been killed in a drone attack". Would you wish that to happen (or get a bullet on the face) to your loved ones?
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Oct 17, 2014 07:15pm
Malala is, undisputedly, a heroine that has become a symbol of the aspirations of saner elements in Pakistan. For those who seek peace, prosperity, equality and justice for all sections of our society, her amazing maturity and leadership at this young age is highly inspiring. There is a beckoning call in her courage for old blokes like me, who have only been advocating the causes that she has taken up in the cosy comfort of their homes, but never mustered the courage to come out and squarely fight the obscurantism so blatantly rampant in our country. With tears of admiration and pride, we the older citizens, are resolved to lend our hitherto weak voices to her crusade; and pray for her victory in the battle that she is fighting on our behalf!
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Oct 17, 2014 07:19pm
@Harmony
Children have died in drone attacks while on their way to school. Children's have been killed by Taliban on their way to school. Just because they didn't survive no Nobel for them?
Compare the "change" brought about by this young lady against Eidhi! Do you see a difference or do you still think getting shot in the face is "the" requirement.
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Oct 17, 2014 07:25pm
Going to conferences and authoring a book doesn't make any change in an uneducated country. You have to work at the grass root level. Compare her achievements with Kailash Satyarthi.
I am not against her, but I am against the concept of sensationalism and bypassing merit.
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Oct 17, 2014 07:31pm
Malala you are a living legend. We Pakistani are lucky to have people like you and Edhi among us.
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Oct 17, 2014 07:39pm
@naveed At Least at this tender age she is raising her voice for right of education of all children what you are doing at your level ?
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Oct 17, 2014 07:54pm
She is indeed a jewel cherished by the world now. It is doubly unfortunate that some people in Pakistan cannot look past their pain and suffering as well as ill-founded suspicions in seeing that. She is the message of hope that the nation deeply needs. Knowledge will conquer ignorance and love will conquer hate ---- always. It may take time but the destination is inevitable.
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Oct 17, 2014 07:59pm
Be ready this girl is being trained in such a manner that one day she will be put as our Prime Minister
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Oct 17, 2014 08:00pm
@Fahd Siddiqui - Edhi is definitely a good cause but you are comparing apples with oranges. If one gets awards, the other doesn't that's not her fault. But there is no justification in belittling her.
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Oct 17, 2014 08:11pm
Hats off to this girl who has shown such dedication towards SWAT.
God Bless you in every act you create and every step you take.
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Oct 17, 2014 08:48pm
Interesting how some people can only see a conspiracy theory behind everything. Pakistan has only produced 2 Nobel prize winners. Both of them are unable to return to Pakistan. This tells the sorry state of affairs in Pakistan.
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Oct 17, 2014 09:31pm
Message for Imran khan and his followers so that they start learning basic etiquette
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Oct 17, 2014 10:53pm
Nothing has changed we all feel her pain and wish her and her family the best of luck in her new country and congratulate her on her 20 crore rupee advance on her ghost written book and millioaire lifestyle and protection detail that would make some heads of state envious paid fully by the UK govenment. Outsiders dont make change but obseve and talk in Malalas case talk is definitley not cheap as she gets tens of lakhs of rupees in renumeration for every radio television or live speech she gives or every magazine interviews she gives the essense of which is enhancing western stereotypes of Pakistan being a backwards primitive savage stone age culture. As her families coffers pile up we will see many more of these statements being released the family knows that this wont last for ever as she will soon end up forgotten like Mr Tutu another Nobel Peace laurate and the first one who recognised her potential. Pakistans problems are very complex and have built up over many decades there is no quick fix for them the only ones who can fix it are the insiders from within and we are seeing that happen. We all wish Malala and her family the best of luck and pray that she recovers from the trauma she suffered at such a young age no money in the world will make that go away.
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Oct 17, 2014 11:49pm
@IM1 will you please tell us Who stopped her from coming back to pakistan ?? If she really wana change some thing in education sector in pakistan then she must come back becoz You can measure the depth of sea unless you go inside... and edhi saab was more deserving becoz he has done more then enough not only in education but all fields.. but Merit for Nobel prize is that who will work for west in future
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Oct 18, 2014 12:33am
8Th wonder of world after brain surgery. Where are your X-rays or CT Scan, if you courage make those public.
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Oct 18, 2014 12:59am
Those who had the protection of their family, attending school, and loved by family and friends, must look back what their days and nights were occupied with, what their dreams and ambitions were at the age of Seventeen. Then compare their lives with the ordeal that Malala went through. There are many more Malala in this world whose names and destinies will remain buried, unknown to us. I admire the Army doctors and staff, who displayed not only superior skills but an integrity and commitment to their profession by preparing Malala for subsequent surgeries that changed her life. Their names must be put on a plaque and displayed publicly. They deserve awards too.
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Oct 18, 2014 03:12am
Why is she being a change in a foreign country (UK)? Why doesn't she come back to Pakistan and be the change?
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Oct 18, 2014 08:05am
Has the government of Pakistan officially congratulated Malala on getting the Nobel prize?
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Oct 18, 2014 09:15am
@A HAIDER Agree...Dr Salam and Malala are poles apart. De Salam was the deserving one !!
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