Indian Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi and Pakistan's Malala Yousafzai on Firday agreed to work jointly to build "strong relations" between their countries, amid growing tensions along the border. "We will work together and try to build strong relations" between India and Pakistan, she said, adding that it was "really disappointing" that India and Pakistan were engaged in confrontation.
"We want to have good relations...I really believe in peace," the 17-year-old told reporters after being chosen for the coveted prize along with Satyarthi. She said it was important to have progress and development instead of fighting.
Malala said she and Satyarthi would appeal to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join them (in Oslo) for the award ceremony in December. She also made a "humble request" to Sharif and Modi to ensure peace.
60-year-old Satyarthi, who gave up his job as an electrical engineer to run an NGO in India for rescuing children from forced labour and trafficking, and 17-year-old Malala, who survived a near-fatal Taliban attack two years ago with determination advocating education for girls, were named by the Nobel Peace Prize Committee for the prestigious global award this year.
The winners of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize and child education activist Malala Yousafzai on Friday vowed to continue to work for children’s education and stated that she would work along with her co-winner Kailash Satyarthi to that goal. “I had a phone call with Kailash Satyarthi and spoke about how important it is that children get education. Both of us have decided to work together for this cause,” Malala said, addressing the media here.
Stating that she was honoured by being awarded the Nobel Prize, Malala said that the award had given the struggle for providing education for all a new impetus. “This is not just a medal but an encouragement, a message that people are standing with me in my fight. I think this is just the beginning: there are so many children who don’t receive education,” the Pakistani activist said.
Speaking of her experiences in the Swat Valley, when she rose to worldwide fame, Malala said, “I only had two choices: to not speak up and be killed, or to speak and be killed. I chose the latter. My message is to the children all around the world that they should stand up for their rights.”
The 17-year-old Malala, who has now become the youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize, said that she and Satyarthi are also planning to work together to bring peace and stability to India and Pakistan. “The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize jointly to an Indian and a Pakistani gives a message of love between Pakistan and India, and to those who belong to different religions. We both also decided to work to try and strengthen relation between our two countries. We know that there are tensions at the border. This tension is disappointing and saddening,” she said.
“We want both nations to have a dialogue, to think of peace and development. Both nations should think about education and progress,” she added.
Earlier in the day, Satyarthi and Malala were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Read more
"Despite her youth, Malala Yousafzai has already fought for several years for the right of girls to education, and has shown by example that children and young people, too, can contribute to improving their own situations. This she has done under the most dangerous circumstances. Through her heroic struggle she has become a leading spokesperson for girls' rights to education," the committee said.
Malala said she was "honoured" to be the first Pakistani and the youngest person to be given the award and dedicated the award to the "voiceless".
"This award is for all those children who are voiceless, whose voices need to be heard," she said.
With agency inputs
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