Tanya Devani is a junior at Spain Park High School in Hoover, Alabama and a Teen Advisor to the United Nations Foundation campaign Girl Up. Girl Up is an innovative campaign of the United Nations Foundation giving American girls the opportunity to become global leaders and channel their energy and compassion to raise funds and awareness for United Nations programs that help some of the world’s hardest-to-reach adolescent girls.
Passionate. Powerful. Puissant.
These were the first words that came to my mind when I first heard about Pakistani child activist Malala Yousafzai. On October 9, 2012, then 15-year-old Malala was shot in the head at point blank range by Taliban combatants. Her only crime was speaking out about the right of girls to get an education. Malala was miraculously nursed back to health by Pakistani doctors and nurses and later flown into the UK to continue her recovery and education. On July 12, Malala was honored for her incredible bravery in the face of adversity and violence at the UN.
July 12 was officially dubbed by the UN as “Malala Day.” Malala and 500 youth delegates from 85 different countries (the very enthusiastic party guests) celebrated Malala’s sweet sixteen advocating for universal education at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
I had the good fortune of attending this milestone birthday as a Teen Advisor for the United Nations Foundation Girl Up campaign.
More Malala Yousafzai: The Bravest Girl I Know | Tanya Devani.
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