Malala capable of achieving higher goals

Malala capable of achieving higher goals

Anyone who wonders how a young girl like Malala Yousafzai, 17, can be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize would change their opinion after listening to her acceptance speech ("Malala, 17, shares peace prize with a veteran"; last Saturday).

Her remarks on subjects like protecting the rights of women, defying extremists who want women to remain indoors, and promoting peace and cooperation between India and Pakistan show her level of maturity.

In an interview last year, she said she hoped to become the prime minister of Pakistan one day. She had originally wanted to be a doctor, but changed her mind because she felt she could help more people by being the prime minister.

Perhaps, after completing her education, she may learn that there are higher goals to aspire to.

Ultimately, the world respects and remembers people who served with honesty, responsibility and compassion. People like Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King did not hold official positions, but are remembered more than many presidents and prime ministers in history. Malala shows a lot of promise. The world expects her to be much more than a prime minister.

N.S. Venkataraman

 


This article was first published on Oct 15, 2014.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.