Oxford University awards Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai with prestigious honorary fellowship

Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for girls' education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, was bestowed with a prestigious honorary fellowship by Oxford University's Linacre College.

The Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) promotes numerous Pakistan-related events at Oxford University. In addition to visiting fellowships for Pakistani faculty members and unique talks on Pakistan, this also includes graduate scholarships for eligible students.

Malala became the first Pakistani to receive the honour, the Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) announced Friday. The award was handed to Malala in a ceremony on 18 April.

The Malala Fund co-founder joins renowned figures like Nobel Prize winner Sir Paul Nurse and the first Speaker of the National Assembly of the Parliament of South Africa Dr Frene Ginwala who were also awarded this honorary fellowships by the college.

The 25-year-old advocate for females' education addressed people gathered during the event. She reminisced about visiting her friends at Linacre College and praised the OPP's influence.

Hailing OPP's vision, she said the partnership is changing the lives of students as well as acting as a ray of hope for those studying in Pakistan. Malala's unrelenting dedication to education and initiatives to empower women were hailed by principal Dr. Nick Brown.

He said, “Malala is globally recognised for her extraordinary work in support of women’s education, particularly for those from the least advantaged backgrounds”.

The principal of the institution emphasised that the awarding of an honorary fellowship to Malala, a steadfast supporter of the OPP, bolstered the already close ties between Linacre Institution and the OPP.

Malala's father Ziauddin Yousafzai was also present at the occasion. He said, "It is a huge honour for my daughter to receive this recognition. I could see the joy on Malala's face when she received the honour, and as a proud father, I am extremely happy for her. I know that she will use this opportunity to further expand her work and collaborate with others to find solutions to the challenges in access to education for girls."

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Dr. Talha Jamal Pirzada, co-founder of the OPP and fellow at Linacre College, said,"As we celebrate Malala's extraordinary achievements, let us recognise the transformative power of education in shaping lives, communities, and nations. Let us also reaffirm our commitment to investing in the education of young girls and women, particularly in STEM subjects, to build a prosperous and equitable future for generations to come," Dr Pirzada said.

In 2012, while on a school bus, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman, but she survived the attack.

After the attack, Malala became a global advocate for girls' education, and she founded the Malala Fund, which works to ensure that all girls have access to 12 years of free, safe, and quality education.

She has spoken at the United Nations, met with world leaders, and written a book about her experiences. In 2014, Malala became the youngest person ever to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Malala's activism has inspired people around the world, and she continues to work tirelessly to promote education and gender equality.

Oxford University, the Pakistan High Commission in London, and the British High Commission in Islamabad have all expressed their strong support for the OPP.

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