Nobel laureates Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi, who arrived in Oslo on Monday, spoke in glowing terms of the warm welcome they received in Norway. When asked about the freezing temperature of the deep winter, the two Nobel Peace Prize winnetrs laughed it away on the eve of the prize-giving ceremony.
"I have never seen so much warmth as I have seen in this country since I arrived", Satyarthi said at the Nobel Institute.
"The warmth comes from ordinary people, especially from children. When I looked out of my hotel window hotel this morning, several children and teachers were waiting outside for us", said Satyarthi.
At the afternoon press conference, where the two Nobel laureates came together in public for the first time since being named for the Nobel Peace Prize, Satyarthi was all praise for the 17-year-old Malala, whose name has become eponymous with a generation of young activists. "Malala is the bravest child one can imagine. I am proud of her and lucky to receive this Peace Prize together with her", he said.
Satyarthi, who has worked for children's rights and against child labour, publicly 'adopted' the world's youngest ever Nobel laureate, who hails from Pakistan, as his "daughter". Saying that she is like his daughter—to stress what the two had in common—he asked her in a bantering tone if that was alright with her. When Malala laughingly nodded yes, Satyarthi joined the general laughter to add, "So now we will bring her home".
Reciprocating Satyarthi's fulsome praise, Malala said she was honoured to be sitting next to her 'father'. "You don't just inspire me, but children across the world. We are not here to receive an award, we are here to tell children that they can change the world. You can do it now, but it demands that you take a stand".
Malala dismissed the suggestion that the Prize would be a burden and too heavy of a responsibility for her. "I feel stronger now", she said. She added: "I now feel obliged to work for children. I feel responsible to God, but also to myself for living up to my potential".
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