BEKAA VALLEY: Malala Yousafzai, the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, celebrated her 18th birthday in Lebanon on Sunday by opening a school for Syrian refugee girls and called on world leaders to invest in “books not bullets”.

“I decided to be in Lebanon because I believe that the voices of the Syrian refugees need to be heard and they have been ignored for so long,” Malala said in a schoolroom decorated with drawings of butterflies.

The Malala Fund, a non-profit organisation that supports local education projects, paid for the school in the Bekaa Valley, close to the Syrian border. It can welcome up to 200 girls aged 14 to 18.

“Today on my first day as an adult, on behalf of the world’s children, I demand of leaders we must invest in books instead of bullets,” Malala said in a speech.

Nobel laureate feted with songs, birthday cake as she turns 18

Lebanon is home to 1.2 million of the 4m refugees that have fled Syria’s war to neighbouring countries. There are about 500,000 Syrian school-age children in Lebanon, but only a fifth are in formal education.

Lebanon, which allows informal settlements on land rented by refugees, says it can no longer cope with the influx from Syria’s four-year conflict. One in four living in Lebanon is a refugee.

The UN says the number of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries is expected to reach 4.27m by the end of the year.

“In Lebanon as well as in Jordan, an increasing number of refugees are being turned back at the border,” Malala said. “This is inhuman and this is shameful.”

Her father Ziauddin said he was proud Malala was carrying on her activism into adulthood.

“This is the mission we have taken for the last 8-9 years,” he said, referring to his education activities in Swat.

Malala was feted with songs and a birthday cake. Moved to tears by the girls, she was modest when asked for advice.

“They are amazing, I don’t think they need any message, I don’t think they need any other advice because they know that education is very important for them.”

“I am here on behalf of the 28 million children who are kept from the classroom because of armed conflict.

“Their courage and dedication to continue their schooling in difficult conditions inspires people around the world and it is our duty to stand by them.

“On this day, I have a message for the leaders of this country, this region and the world: you are failing the Syrian people, especially Syria’s children,” she said, according to a statement received in London.

Malala was flown to Britain for treatment after the Taliban tried to kill her in October 2012 in Swat, and now lives permanently in Britain with her family.

Published in Dawn, July 13th, 2015

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