Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, who received the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014 along with Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyrathi at a ceremony here on Wednesday, said she was one of those 66 million girls who are out of school.
"I am Shazia. I am Amina. I am one of those 66 million girls who are out of school," Malala said after becoming the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
"Why is it that countries which we call strong are so powerful in creating wars, but so weak in bringing peace? Why is it that giving guns is so easy, but giving books is so hard? Why is it that making tanks is so easy, but building schools is so hard? We are living in modern age where we believe nothing is impossible, we must be able to give every child quality education," the child rights activist stated.
Malala also spoke about her pride at being the first Pashtun, the first Pakistani, and the first young person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
"I am very proud to be the first Pashtun, the first Pakistani, and the first young person to receive this award. I am pretty certain that I am also the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize who still fights with her younger brothers. I want there to be peace everywhere, but my brothers and I are still working on that," she said.
The 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner also recalled the contribution of her family and dedicated the award to the forgotten children who want an education.
"I thank my father for not clipping my wings and for letting me fly. Thank you to my mother for inspiring me to be patient and to always speak the truth. Today is a day of great happiness for me. I am humbled that the Nobel Committee has selected me for this precious award. This award is for the forgotten children who want education. It is for those voiceless children who want change," Malala added.
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The young Pakistani activist, who survived a bullet by a Talibani gunman in 2012, said that the terrorists tried to attack her and her friends, but their bullets could not win.
"Swat was a place of beauty which suddenly changed into a place of terrorism. Our beautiful dreams turned into nightmare. The terrorists tried to stop us and attacked me and my friends on 9th October, 2012, but their bullets could not win. We survived and since then our voices have been louder," she stated.
Malala also announced that her prize money would go towards building schools in Pakistan.
"Many children in India and Pakistan are deprived of their right to education because of social taboos or they have been forced into child labour and girls into child marriages. The first place this funding of the Nobel Prize will go is where my heart is, to build schools in Pakistan-especially in my home of Swat and Shangla," she stated.