Malala chosen for highest United Nations honour

The UN will officially bestow activist Malala Yousafzai with its highest honour, making her a United Nations messenger of peace.

Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai has been chosen to be a UN messenger of peace.

Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai has been chosen to be a UN peace messenger. Source: NTB SCANPIX

Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai has been chosen to be a United Nations messenger of peace, the highest honour bestowed by the UN secretary-general on a global citizen.

A spokesman says the Nobel peace prize recipient will focus on promoting girls' education worldwide and will be officially designated at a ceremony on Monday.

The 19-year-old was campaigning for the right of all children to education in northwest Pakistan when she was severely wounded in a Taliban assassination attempt in 2012.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says even in the face of grave danger, she "has shown an unwavering commitment to the rights of women, girls and all people".

Other messengers of peace include actors Michael Douglas and Leonardo DiCaprio, primatologist Jane Goodall and musicians Daniel Barenboim and Yo-Yo Ma.

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Published 8 April 2017 1:48pm
Updated 8 April 2017 3:55pm
Source: AAP


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