Thoughts on the Malala Nobel Peace Prize

As a girl growing up in a developed country I often took my opportunity to go to school for granted. Although I had periods where I studied really hard there were also times when I unfortunately got influenced by the attitude of other classmates who were just "too cool for school". As many of you also might have experienced, being a hard-working student didn't really equal to popularity or admiration among the other kids.

I guess it was after I started traveling abroad that I truly began to realize how lucky I was that I could get a proper education. Without having an education I would never have got to experience all the things I have to this date, which includes being a student and even a full-time employee in a foreign country. And this is just the beginning.

But there are so many girls out there who never get the chance to have the education they deserve. This year's Nobel Peace Prize is a reminder to all of us of the importance that girls (and boys) everywhere get the chance to learn and to grow, that they get the key to follow their own dreams. I believe education is the key not only to build a brighter future for individuals, but also for the society as a whole.

Malala is the youngest person ever to receive the Peace Prize, and she is truly an inspiration to all of us. She reminds us not only why education is worth fighting for, but to those of us who already have the privilege to get educated it is a reminder about how lucky we are to be able to go to school without having to fear for our lives.

To wrap it up, here are some of my favorite Malala quotes:

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” 

“Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow." Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human.”  

“I raise my voice not so that i can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard”  

Malala shares the prize with the Indian child rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi. Together the two laureates take a strong stance in the "struggle against the suppression of children and young people", to quote the Nobel Committee. You can read more about this year's Peace Prize here

About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.