Malala Was Taken Out Of Chemistry Class To Find Out She Had Won The Nobel Peace Prize
The 17-year-old Malala, the youngest winner of the award, said during a news conference Friday that she was "honored." She shared it with the Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, 60, for "their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education," according to the Nobel committee.
Malala said she considered Friday a relatively normal day. She was in chemistry class in Birmingham, England, and by 10:15 a.m. she was sure she hadn't won. Then, a teacher took her out of class, telling her she had "something important to tell her."
"Congratulations. You have won the Nobel Peace Prize!" Malala said her teacher told her.
Malala continued her normal routine, attending physics and English classes. She held a news conference only after her school day was over.
"I considered it a normal day," she said.
Malala's name first rose to attention when she was shot in the head by the Taliban just more than two years ago while advocating for young girls' educational rights in Pakistan. She survived and has brought her message to the world, most notably during a powerful speech to the United Nations last year.
She said her Nobel Peace Prize was not the end of her efforts to advocate for girls' education.
"I think this is really the beginning," she said.