The Nelson Mandela Foundation recently announced that Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani Nobel laureate, will be delivering the 21st Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in December. Notably, Malala will become the youngest individual ever to address this prestigious forum.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation, established by the iconic leader Nelson Mandela in 1999, is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting freedom and equality for all. This annual lecture series has previously featured influential speakers such as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, philanthropist Bill Gates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Malala Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Laureate, will take the stage in Johannesburg on December 5, 2023, to deliver this significant lecture. Her selection as the speaker reflects her embodiment of the type of leadership that is deemed essential across all levels of society. In a world facing formidable global challenges, Malala stands as a beacon of hope for a more just and equitable future, according to Verne Harris, acting CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
This year’s annual lecture will delve into critical questions surrounding leadership. It will explore the kinds of leadership required on both local and global scales, the means to realize such leadership for a more just future, and the vision for achieving this future.
Malala’s journey to global prominence began when, at the age of ten, she started writing an anonymous diary for the BBC about life under Taliban rule in northwest Pakistan. Her advocacy for girls’ education led to a horrifying incident in 2012 when she was shot in the head by militants. Remarkably, in 2014, Malala became the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize recipient. Through her non-profit organization, the Malala Fund, she has been instrumental in funding education projects worldwide. Her work involves collaborating with international leaders and local partners to implement innovative solutions and advocating globally for quality education for all girls.
In essence, Malala Yousafzai’s selection as the speaker for the 21st Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture is a testament to her remarkable journey and unwavering commitment to the cause of education and equality.
