PHOTOS: Malala visits Kurdistan on her birthday, promotes education for displaced girls
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The world-renowned Pakistani activist and Nobel Prize winner visited the Kurdistan Region to celebrate her birthday among Kurdish youth and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Erbil.
Malala Yousafzai, globally known for promoting women's education and for being the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, arrived in Erbil, capital of the Kurdistan Region on Monday and was received by Falah Mustafa Head of Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) Department of Foreign Relations at Erbil International Airport.
On Tuesday, Malala joined a female empowerment session organized by the Global Shapers Erbil Hub serving female students.
In a speech, Malala expressed her gratitude for her first visit to Kurdistan Region and Iraq and for being among young Kurdish girls.
“You are all doing a great work, I would like to thank you all for empowering young girls and giving them the opportunity to share their ideas, develop their skills and to be leaders of today and tomorrow,” Malala said.
Referring to her visit to an IDP camp near Erbil, she stated that she had met with displaced girls, delivering a powerful message about education which is a basic human right.
The KRG PM Nechirvan Barzani met with Malala and accompanied delegation and briefed them about the humanitarian situation in the Kurdistan Region, the situation of Ezidi and Christian women and girls and gender equality in Region.
Malala's speech at the girls empowerment event organized by Global Shapers Erbil Hub in Erbil.
Editing by Ava Homa