American actor and former UN goodwill ambassador for refugees Angelina Jolie has urged the Nobel Peace Prize awarding committee to give “serious consideration” to “brave” Malala Yousafzai.
The Hollywood celebrity has joined the growing number of voices speaking in support of Malala, the 14-year-old girl who was shot by the Taliban for promoting girls education in Swat.
In an article published by the Daily Beast, Jolie wrote: “I felt compelled to share Malala’s story with my children. It was difficult for them to comprehend a world where men would try to kill a child whose only “crime” was the desire that she and others like her be allowed to go to school.”
Jolie wrote: “Still trying to understand, my children asked, “Why did those men think they needed to kill Malala?” I answered, “because an education is a powerful thing.
“The shots fired on Malala struck the heart of the nation, and as the Taliban refuse to back down, so too do the people of Pakistan.”
She was of the view that Malala was proof that it takes only the voice of one brave person to inspire numerous men, women and children.
“As girls across Pakistan stand up to say “I am Malala,” they do not stand alone,” Jolie asserted in her article.
Lauding Malala for her feats achieved at such a small age, Jolie said: “As the Nobel Committee meets to determine the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, I imagine brave Malala will be given serious consideration.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (16)
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Dear , Love Pak , I respect your feeling and logic.You may be right saying Nobel prize has western polish , at least you have to accept Malala has great job and she should be encouraged . Giving prize to Malala means not prizing a teenage girl but prizing the revolution against injustice to Islam girls .Let's all give up prejudice and go beyond any religion and countries and fight against our social evils. Rigidness spoils the goodness.
We appreciate your gesture and concern for malala. You are a true humanist Angelia and, holding you in high esteem, we know you have adopted children from the backward countries for their education and upbringing in a healthy environment. God bless Malala and you for your noble gestures.
Whoa, lots of criticism here and even some personal remarks. Perhaps you didn't read the line where I said "I'm struggling to grasp the concept". It doesn't mean I don't believe it, I do believe it, and I honestly wish that she makes a great recovery. And I also really hope that this shooting thing is a reality but again I'm struggling to believe it. I'm only saying that you shouldn't rule out the possibility of someone playing with people's emotions.
@Himmat Singh: Brave or not, her achievements in my opinion are not as great as A.S.Edhi's. I do like to believe she is brave though.
@ZZQ: Perhaps you didn't understand what I meant by being "pro-western" even though I explained it later in the second comment. It's not about education, since education has nothing to do with the west. As I explained, I'm a medical student, and I'm totally Pakistani and also anti-western. What I meant was that everyone who wins this prize has a political tendency to support the west against the east and Muslims in particular. Look at the likes of Obama, he won and then sent 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. Look at Kissinger, he supported a massacre of East Timor people. Look at the EU, they have the blood of Libyans and currently Syrians on their hands. These are people even I deserve the prize over for at least doing nothing rather than killing people.
@???: I know that, but maybe you should know where the attacker fled after attacking her, he fled to Afghanistan. The TTP is an affiliate of the CIA. I blame the TTP directly, and the CIA indirectly. And you maybe right about her survival, I hope you are.
agree to Mo Heon, ??? & Himmat Singh... Shame on u LovePak...
I can see u wont let ur daughters go to school as they would become Western (let alone allowing them to be born in the first place...)
@lovePak: Malala has been openly defying Taliban since she was 12 years old. Watch all the Youtube videos relating to her. So it's not a case of her just getting shot and recovering. She was a brave young activist fully aware of the risks and facing them everyday. Get past the conspiracy theories for God's sake.
Just remember the leaders who back down from raising their voice for Malala.
@Mo My friend, what I mean by pro-western is people who simply support the west, nothing to do with their education or rights, these are the only people who have ever won. No anti-western person or even neutral person has had a chance. Obama wins the prize, and then sends more troops to Afghanistan who kill more people. Kissinger supported massacres of Eastern Timor people I think. The EU has bombed Libya to stone-age. Do these people deserve nobel prizes? She never educated anyone, education has nothing to do with being western anyway. I can be a total Pakistani studying medicine, I'm certainly not western. There is very much a relation between her and drone strikes, the attempt came only 2 days after a major anti-drone rally by IK. This drama was done simply to pressurize Pakistan into a N.Waziristan operation, and win support for more drones by showing Pakistan to be taken over by terrorists, counter-balancing the anti-drone movement. And no, Malala did NOT give any child morale, frankly I've never even heard of her before, and there are as I said, thousands of other girls protesting for the same rights who are totally shunned. It's as if they were preparing her for this even all alone. Edhi deserves the prize, but he'll never get it because he is neutral. Edhi is a great man, who has set up the largest services for homeless people. He feeds the poor, he runs a huge ambulance service, and spends all his money to help others, so much so that he himself is poor and lives a very humble life. That is a person who deserves a prize, not Malala, who has miraculously survived brain damage so that when she returns, people don't think she's crazy to campaign in favor of more drones or violence.
What is the meaning of pro western ? Do you think educating children means pro western ? If you see the history, first Asians and Eastern people not western , started to educate people and children .How advanced Pakistan was when there was Sindhu civilization ! And, there is no relationship between drone strikes and Malala. Lack of mutual understanding causes issues like drone. If all people , men and women are educated , understanding between people will be promoted. As far as Nobel prize , I do say Malala deserves it . Do you think if a billionaire establishes 100 schools and educate 10000 students , then only deserves peace prize . Malala alone gave millions of people morale and courage to educate girls . Girls are future mothers who educate their children who promote world peace . Please have road mind .
Angelia is right , Giving Nobel prize to Malala means encouraging girl's education and discouraging cruelty and terrorism . Allah will be happy .
Why not Noble prize for all the good souls of this country? EU got one (for what).
Not to put down Malala or anything but the Noble Peace Prize is a bit much.
Malala even if u cant win noble prize you our hero and we wish you speedy recovery
She deserved the peace nobel prize. May she live long to enjoy abundant life and good prosperity.