UN TO Observe Nov 10 As Malala Day, To Announce Foundation In Honor Of The Teen Activist

Honoring Malala Yousufzai, the teen Pakistani activist who was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban for advocating girls’ education, the United Nations will observe Nov 10 -- that that marks 30-days after the attack on her -- as the “Malala Day.”

Malala (15), who has become an icon of resistance against the Taliban’s oppression of women, has been recovering from her injuries at a hospital in Birmingham in England.

She and two of her friend were shot in a school bus in Pakistan’s Swat valley when they were returning home after attending the school Oct.9. Her recovery has been described a miracle since she was critically injured in the attack.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has announced that Nov.10, 2012 will be observed as the “Mala Day” world over, honoring her struggle for the cause of girls’ education. He said that this would “build on the momentum of U.N.'s Education First initiative,” the Express Tribune reported.

“We can announce support for Malala Day on November 10th when we will focus on Malala and the 32 million girls like Malala not at school. November 10th is the right day for a global day of action: it’s exactly one month since Malala fought off an assassination attempt against her by the Taliban,” the Office of the U.N. Special Envoy for Global Education said in a statement.

The U.N. will also announce a new foundation in her honor to campaign for the 32 million girls around the world who are not at school, according to the statement.

The U.N. Special Envoy for Global Education will travel to Pakistan and will give President Zardari a petition signed by more than a million people, requesting him to make education a reality for all the Pakistani children.

Meanwhile, the campaigners for the girls’ education have started a drive, calling the governments to nominate Malala for the Nobel Peace Prize.