Pakistani teenage activist Malala Yousafzai has been awarded an honorary degree by the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in recognition of her efforts to improve educational opportunities for girls and women around the world.
She received the degree of Master of Arts at a special event on Saturday.
"It is a privilege to welcome Malala to Edinburgh and to present her with an honorary degree. Her courage and determination to achieve the basic human right of education is inspiring," said Professor Sir Timothy O'Shea, principal and vice-chancellor of the university.
The degree was presented following Malala's address to the inaugural meeting of the Global Citizenship Commission, chaired by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
Other special guests included Mohammed El Baradei, a Nobel peace laureate and former head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, and John Kufuor, former President of Ghana and former chairman of the African Union.
Malala survived an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen in October 2012. She was reunited with two of her Pakistani friends, also injured in the same Taliban shooting that nearly ended her life, at the event.
Kainat Riaz and Shazia Ramzan met the 16-year-old for the first time since the incident in Swat Valley last October.
"After I was shot the terrorists thought that I would not continue the struggle for education, but not only did I not stop my campaign but now Kainat and Shazia are with me and they are also supporting me," Malala said.
The Birmingham-based schoolgirl was airlifted to the UK after being shot by a Taliban gunman in a school bus for speaking out in favour of girls' right to education. Riaz and Ramzan were travelling with her and got caught in the crossfire. All three girls are now living and studying in Britain.
"We all know of Malala's incredible courage, strength and determination, and I'm so pleased that she will be reunited with Shazia and Kainat, two young women equally determined that every girl and boy should enjoy the most basic of human rights: a secure, safe place at school," Brown said.
While in Scotland over the weekend, the three girls also joined him at a ceremony for a new primary school in Burntisland, Fife.
