Malala Yousafzai Meets Scholars Supported By Her Scholarships At The Oxford University

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published December 04, 2024 | 10:40 PM

Oxford (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4 December, 2024) :
Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace prize laureate and global advocate for girls' education, met with the scholars that she has supported by the Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP) scholarships at a special event held at Lady Margaret Hall (LMH), Oxford University. This year, the programme awarded Malala scholarships to three exceptional women scholars: Zainab Aziz & Ayeda Hamid from Pakistan and Suha Albanna from Palestine. These scholars are pursuing graduate degrees at Oxford University, representing a new generation of women leaders driven by knowledge and a commitment to societal progress. The event highlighted the transformative impact of educational initiatives like the OPP in providing world-class opportunities to talented and deserving students of Pakistan. The event was held to welcome all graduate Pakistani scholars starting their degrees in 2024, along with 12 OPP scholars and to celebrate the broader impact of the OPP. Malala first met privately with the three scholars, engaging in a heartfelt conversation about their journeys, aspirations, and the challenges they’ve faced. Following her private meeting with the scholars, Malala attended a reception with members of the Pakistani scholars community at Oxford, alongside distinguished guests, including the Principal of LMH Stephen Blyth, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, Irene Tracey, and OPP donors Suleman Raza and Hamid Ismail.
In her address at the reception, Malala commended the OPP for its vital role in bringing competent and deserving scholars, especially women scholars, to the forefront. She emphasized the importance of investing in education as a transformative force, particularly for women, to unlock their potential and catalyze societal progress.
“I believe that initiatives like the Oxford Pakistan Programme, where Pakistani scholars come to Oxford University to receive world-class education and then return to serve their communities in Pakistan, have the potential to change the course of Pakistan’s future,” said Malala.

Malala also reflected on the OPP’s impact in fostering a vibrant and diverse community of scholars at Oxford University. She applauded LMH for its unwavering support of the programme and shared her memories of the OPP trip to Pakistan, where the commitment of LMHtosupporting Pakistani students was profoundly evident. She expressed her high hopes and ambitions for the programme, envisioning a brighter future for Pakistan driven by the transformative power of education.
The Nobel laureate expressed her gratitude to the donors and supporters of OPP, acknowledging their role in bringing this vision to life. She closed her speech with a message of hope and optimism, saying, “Together, we are investing in a future where every deserving student, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to excel and contribute to
society.”
The event served as a celebration of educational excellence and the promise of a brighter future for Pakistan through the empowerment of young women. It also highlighted the critical role of initiatives like the OPP in creating pathways for deserving scholars to access world-class opportunities at institutions like Oxford University for Pakistani students.
About the Oxford Pakistan Programme (OPP):
The OPPis a pioneering initiative aimed at enhancing access to education for talented Pakistani students at Oxford University. Since its inception 4 years ago, OPP has impacted over fifty Pakistani and British Pakistani students, supporting their education journeys at the University of Oxford. By providing scholarships and fostering community engagement, theprogramme empowers scholars to achieve academic excellence and contribute to the development of their communities.