The honorary Canadian citizenship gifted to Malala Yousafzai under Stephen Harper’s government will be officially granted to her in a ceremony on April 12, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on April 3.
Trudeau will meet with Malala to discuss empowering girls through education, according to a press release.
In October, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban on her way home from school in Pakistan. She was an advocate for girl’s education, and she had spoken publicly about her views. After she recovered from her injury, Malala continued to advocate for the right of girls all over the world to go to school and receive an education.
The attack by the Taliban brought darkness, and almost death, to Malala. Yet she did not give up. She has gone on to win a Nobel Peace prize, speak at the United Nations and author a bestselling book titled I Am Malala. Her words, and her message, have reached people internationally.
Malala receiving honorary Canadian citizenship is significant because she stands for what we would like to believe Canada is: a country that advocates for equality and equal opportunities. But her story reveals what Canada’s glossy stereotypes of perfection hide: that there is darkness in this country, and in this world. While many believe Canada is a utopia for human rights, many parts of our history (such as residential schools) contradict this.
Under the guise of political or military power, some people do terrible things. Malala is a reminder that just one voice can change the dialogue. As she wrote in her book: “If one man can destroy everything, why can’t one girl change it?” This is an important message today, as we see increasing hate crimes, human rights abuses and senseless violence. Malala’s story should inspire us all to speak up for what matters to us, even when people in power disagree with us.
In her book, Malala said, “I don’t want to be thought of as the ‘girl who was shot by the Taliban’ but ‘the girl who fought for education.’” On April 12, Canada will celebrate Malala’s fight for education and, hopefully, renew our own dedication to fighting for what matters while acknowledging the darkness of the past.