Malala Yousafzai met with President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, at the White House on Friday night, capping off her whirlwind tour in the United States.
Yousafzai, who was wounded in a failed assassination attempt by the Taliban a year ago, also appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and spoke with several news agencies about life since the October 9, 2012 attempt on her life.
The teen activist was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but CNN reports that the award ultimately went to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons .
The White House also issued a statement before Yousafzai met with the Obamas, praising the teen’s continued promotion of education for girls. President Obama also proclaimed October 11 the International Day of the Girl, adding:
“Across the glove there are girls who will one day lead nations, if only we afford them the chance to choose their own destinies. Every continent, there are girls who will go on to change the world in ways we can only imagine, if only we allow them the freedom to dream.”
Malala Yousafzai stated that she “thanked President Obama for the United States’ work in supporting education in Pakistan and Afghanistan and for Syrian refugees.”
The Huffington Post notes that the teen activist added, “I also expressed my concerns that drone attacks are fueling terrorism. Innocent victims are killed in these acts, and they lead to resentment among the Pakistani people.” Malala also hopes the governments of the United States and Pakistan will cooperate more than they are right now.
What an inspiration for us all! Proud to meet #Malala with @VJ44 @FLOTUS & Pres. Obama on Int’l Day of the Girl http://t.co/tNrIwVzlhG
— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) October 11, 2013
Now that her US tour is over, Yousafzai will return to the United Kingdom to continue her own education. As for her future? Malala Yousafzai commented in an interview, “I want to become a prime minister of Pakistan, and I think it’s really good. Because through politics I can serve my whole country. I can be the doctor of the whole country.”
[Image via Twitter ]