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Malala Yousafzai Receives Liberty Medal

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Tuesday night at the National Constitution Center, nearly 1,500 people gathered to honor a young girl, Malala Yousafzai, with the Liberty Medal. Yousafzai stood up to the Taliban and spoke out about the inequality in education for girls in her native Swat Valley in Pakistan.

Malala wrote an anonymous blog for the BBC website in 2009 that detailed life under Taliban occupation. The following year, the New York Times made a documentary on her life. For her efforts, the Taliban attempted to assassinate her. That, Malala, said was a big mistake, as it buried any weakness and fear she had, and her strength and power were born. Her message on the Taliban was then broadcast around the world, and she spoke in front of the UN in 2013.

Today Malala and her family live in England where she attends school and experiences the more normal student dread of upcoming exams. Earlier in October, Malala was announced as the co-recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize for her message for the right of all children to education. Even though she’s receiving many accolades, her teachers do not excuse her from her school work. The Emcee for the evening was Martha Raddatz, Chief Global Affairs Correspondent, ABC News.

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The evening started off with a cocktail reception sponsored by Stradley Ronon. Marc Summers and his daughter, Meredith Claire Summers, were enjoying a mini reunion as Meredith was visiting from Los Angeles. From left: Barry Gutin, chef Jean-Marie Lacroix, Matt Levin, Larry Cohen, all of Brulee Catering, with William Sasso, chairman of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, LLP. Bob and Charlotte Brown. Bill and Dana Tompkins. Amy Klumpp and Richard Green. Dawn Mallin and George Moore. The evening opened with five students reading excerpts from Malala’s blog. Colleen McBride, a senior at Mount Saint Joseph Academy, Mo’ne Davis, an eighth grader at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, Niayla Dia-Murry, a junior at Constitution High School, Nickki Adell, a junior at Science Leadership Academy, and Melissa Shang, a sixth grader at Tredyffrin/Easttown Middle School. Dr. Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, spoke on the importance of education. “Education is a weapon tyrants most fear.” Minnijean Brown Trickey of the Little Rock Nine Foundation, who helped integrate an Arkansas high school in 1957, said ordinary people speak up and do things when they see unjust in the world. She encouraged the young people in the audience to “go forth and inspire”. The Pennsylvania Girlchoir sang “Brave” at the ceremony. Mayor Nutter greeted the audience and then called his 19-year-old daughter, Olivia, to the podium to speak. She spoke of the seriousness of education, and that Malala has shown that age was not a deterrent to affecting change. I like this shot as Olivia returns to her seat; the people around her look on with pride, as they have seen her grow into a fine young woman. From left: Susan Corbett, First Lady of Pennsylvania, Doug DeVos, chairman, National Constitution Center Executive Committee, Olivia Nutter, Mayor Michael Nutter, Cynthia MacLeod, superintendent, Independence National Historical Park. Back row, Dr. Amy Gutmann, William Sasso, Ira Lubert, chairman, Independence Capital Partners, and Daniel K. Fitzpatrick, president and CEO, Citizens Bank. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO, National Constitution Center, speaks of the tremendous contributions Malala has made to the world at such a young age and presents her with the Liberty Medal, noting that she is also the youngest person to ever receive the prestigious award. Malala Yousafzai told the audience, "History does not descend from the sky; it is we who make history. One book, one pen, one child can change the world." She also stressed that the world needs to spend money on education, not wars, which was greeted with thunderous applause. She said she would use the $100,000 check that comes with the Liberty Medal to educate the children in Pakistan.

HughE Dillon covers parties, events and more for Philadelphia magazine’s The Scene. You can follow him on Twitter at @iPhillyChitChat and visit his daily online social diary PhillyChitChat.com.

The post Malala Yousafzai Receives Liberty Medal appeared first on Philadelphia Magazine.


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