July 12 – Malala Day
Every year, on July 12, activist Malala Yousafzai's birthday is celebrated. Malala Day was designated by the United Nations to honor the young woman who has been advocating for women's education and emancipation for years.
Malala was just 15 years old when she was targeted by the Taliban in Pakistan while speaking out for girls' rights to education.
She survived the attack, where a militant boarded a school bus in the northwestern Swat valley and opened fire, injuring two of her schoolmates and Malala herself.
After recovering from her near-fatal injuries, she and her family moved to Birmingham, which she later called "a second home". At the age of 17, she became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala went on to study at Oxford University and has become a leading human rights activist.
Since graduating, Malala has called for support for Afghan refugees, signed a contract with Apple TV+ to produce documentaries and appeared on the cover of British Vogue, continuing her work to improve girls' access to education.
