UNITED NATIONS, October 10 (RIA Novosti) - After the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize for Peace to Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi on Friday, United Nation's Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said that the real winners today are the world's children.
"I congratulate both leaders for this well-deserved recognition. The true winners today are the world's children," Ban Ki-Moon said.
UN's Secretary-General, who was also among the nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize, characterized Malala Yousafzai as a "brave and gentle advocate of peace who through the simple act of going to school became a global teacher." He added that Malala has shown the world what terrorists fear most – "a girl with a book."
Ban also emphasized Malala's connection to the UN.
"Malala is a daughter of the United Nations, from participating in UNICEF events years ago to marking the 500-day countdown to the Millennium Development Goals with us at UN headquarters this summer," he said, adding that the organization will continue to support Malala in her struggle against extremism and for the rights of girls to be free of violence and to study.
Turning to the Nobel Committee's second Peace awardee Ban said, that Kailash Satyarthi "has been at the forefront of a worldwide movement for justice, global education and a better life for millions of children trapped in exploitative child labor." He added, that Kailash Satyarthi had also been a regular presence at the United Nations and that his decades-long commitment have helped "raise public awareness, mobilize opinion leaders, and galvanize society."
Young Pakistani education and women rights activist, Malala Yousafzai started writing about her life in a BBC blog at the age of 12, describing horrifying living conditions under the rule of Taliban forces, known for their brutal treatment of women. Two years ago Malala was shot in the head by the Taliban on her way home from school.
Kailash Satyarthi, 60, is an Indian children's right advocate.
He has been active in the Indian movement against child labor since the 1990s and in 1998 initiated an annual global march against the practice.
