Malala Yousafzai is Harvard Humanitarian of the year

Malala Yousafzai, the 16 year-old Pakistani girl who was shot on Oct. 9, 2012, in an assassination attempt for expressing her philosophy of gender equality in education and who famously said, “I want every girl, every child, to be educated,” will receive the 2013 Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award. The ceremony will be held on Sept. 27 at 4 p.m. in Sanders Theatre.

“The Harvard Foundation is proud to present its 2013 Humanitarian Award to Malala Yousafzai, and to host her at Harvard University as our special guest,” said S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation and professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. “Malala is a young woman of exceptional courage and a tireless advocate for gender equality in educational opportunities for girls worldwide.”

Yousafzai will be accompanied by Junaid Khan, the neurosurgeon credited with saving her life. He will be introduced by Harvard Medical School Dean Jeffrey S. Flier and will receive the Harvard Foundation Award of Appreciation.

“Through her brave actions, Yousafzai has inspired people of all cultures, backgrounds, and religions, and I am certain that her message and fine example will be appreciated by all of our students,” Counter said.

The event is free, but tickets are required, and the ceremony is open to all Harvard students, faculty, and staff. Tickets will be available for Harvard College students on Sept. 20 at the Box Office in Holyoke Center. Tickets will be available for Harvard graduate students, faculty, and staff on Sept. 24 in Holyoke Center.