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Satyarthi, Malala say joint Nobel can help restore friendly ties between India and Pakistan

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ANI Oslo (Norway)

Joint winners of this year's Nobel Peace Prize - Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi - believe that the award can help restore friendly ties between India and Pakistan.

In an interview given to CNN's Christiane Amanpour shortly after receiving the award, Satyarthi said, "I'm sure that it will help in building friendship, trust and deeper relations between the people of these two countries. The children of these two countries who love us, the activists of these two countries who are fighting for the rights of children and right for education and against child labor for so many years, they feel so empowered. They feel so encouraged."

 

Malala said, "Well, I always wanted Pakistan and India to have good relationships because I believe that this very important for the development of both the countries and we can see that both the countries have this huge percentage of youth, young generation, and we are fortunate-we both are fortunate countries that we have this young generation."

"So, this young generation needs quality education and we should give them the message of love, friendship, that these two countries are not enemies but they're friends. And they're just like a family and tolerance should be there, patience should be there and there should be love for each of us," she added.

Both said that they felt greatly honoured to be recipients of the award, but suggested that in overall terms, it was a recognition of people who are bcontinuously fighting for peace, human rights and children's rights.

Malala told Amanpour, "Well, first of all, it was a great honor to be here and to receive this prestigious award, which we all know is an award for peace and it encourages those people who are fighting for peace and fighting for human rights, women's rights, for children's rights.'

She further stated that the award "gives you more strength and gives you more courage."

"I believe that there will be millions of people listening to me right now. And, I'm going to speak to them, and I'm going to tell every child that education is very important for us, for our future generations and we have to stand up for it, she said.

Satyarthi said, "It is for the first time when the voices of the most deferred (ph) people, the most neglected, the most ignored, the most abused, the most vulnerable people, they are children. They are our children. It has been heard at the highest podium of peace and humanity. So, it was a great thing. This is-this is the first time when their voices and their faces have been recognized."

Malala Yousafzai, a teenager from Pakistan's Swat Valley has been famous since 2009 for her anonymous blog about life under the Taliban and bravely promoting girls' education.

In 2012, the Taliban went after her. A group of armed men boarded her school bus and shot her in the head. Her injuries were so severe that her own father said he thought about planning her funeral. But she did survive. And while the Taliban continues to threaten her, Malala has now become a global advocate for millions of girls who are denied an education.

Malala said she was not totally afraid of death, and added that given the support of people, she was sure her cause would never die.

Satyarthi's Bachpan Andolan organization claims that it's helped rescue more than 80,000 child labourers from 144 countries. He, too, has faced many threats to his life as he tries to put an end to what is a multi-billion-dollar business.

He started the Global March Against Child Labour and he set up rehabilitation centers and schools for children who've been emotionally and physically abused.

He said, "Each time when I free a child, I feel that it's a small victory of liberty over slavery."

Malala said, "Education is the only solution.

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First Published: Dec 11 2014 | 2:47 PM IST

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