Malala becomes honorary Canadian citizen

Nobel Laureate ‘warmly accepts Canada's friendship’

OTTAWA: Pakistani Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai was bestowed with honorary Canadian citizenship on Wednesday.

Yousafzai was greeted on the steps of the Centre Block by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as a parade of dignitaries, cabinet ministers and diplomats inside the rotunda beneath the Peace Tower, The Toronto Star reported.

Moments later, Trudeau presented her with a certificate documenting her as an honorary Canadian, making her the sixth and youngest ever person to receive the honour.

"It is not just an honorary citizenship of Canada; it is also being Canada's friend, and I warmly accept it," Yousafzai told the gathering afterward. "I want to thank Canada for its passion for girls' education, for its passion for humanity, for refugees, and for standing up for women's rights, and for peace.



"You are a true example to the world of what it means to stand up for humanity, and I'm hopeful you will inspire many more countries and many more leaders to follow your footsteps," she said.

During a ceremony inside the Gothic Revival halls of Canada's parliament, Trudeau praised Yousafzai for her advocacy.

"Today we proudly bestow honorary Canadian citizenship on Malala Yousafzai, a young woman from Pakistan who has done tremendous things for the people of her country and for the children of the world," he said.

"Malala, your story is an inspiration to us all," he said.

Yousafzai was given the Canadian flag from atop the Peace Tower at the entrance of parliament, and a copy of her 2013 book "I Am Malala" was added to the parliamentary library.

Yousafzai had been invited to Canada by the previous Conservative government in 2014 -- when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize -- to receive Canadian citizenship in Toronto.

But the ceremony was postponed due to the shooting of a ceremonial guard and an attack on parliament the same day.

Earlier Wednesday, Yousafzai joined the prime minister's wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau for a talk with students at a local high school.

"The message I am spreading around the world to our leaders, to our politicians, (is) that they must prioritize education for each and every child around the world," she said to a standing ovation.

"There are more than 130 million girls that do not have access to education," she said.

"I am here to speak on their behalf and to say if you are living in this modern world where we see improvements in technology, we should not be seeing children out of school."