Malala Yousafzai to become Canada’s sixth honorary citizen, joining Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama

Malala Yousafzai she speaks in Dorchester, Mass., Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013

OTTAWA — Malala Yousafzai, an advocate for girls’ education and the target of a Taliban assassination attempt, will be made an honorary Canadian citizen.

A senior government source confirms that Wednesday’s throne speech will confer the honour on the 16-year-old international figure.

Yousafzai was shot in the head in her native Pakistan by the Taliban in October, 2012 while she was on a bus going home from school.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper met with Yousafzai in New York on Sept. 26 where she discussed her efforts to promote education for women and girls.

Harper also invited her to visit Canada.

Yousafzai, who now lives in England with her family, was the youngest ever nominee last week for the Nobel Peace Prize, which was won by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
Her memoir, ”I am Malala” was published last week.

Yousafzai will become only the sixth international figure to receive honorary Canadian citizenship. The honour was previously bestowed on Nelson Mandela, Raoul Wallenberg, the Dalai Lama, Aung San Suu Kyi and the Aga Khan. SCROLL DOWN TO LEAVE A COMMENT