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Audience Cheering
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Jon Stewart: Welcome back! My guest tonight- she's an advocate for girls' access to education worldwide,
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is the youngest person ever to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, her new book is called,
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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
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Please welcome to the program Malala Yousafzai.
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Audience Cheering Loudly
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Triumphant Music
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Audience Continues Cheering
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J: Nice to see you.
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Audience Continues Cheering Loudly, One Audience Member Yells
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J: Thank you for being here.
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M: Thank you so much. It's an honor for me.
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J: Uh, it is an honor for us. I know me.
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Audience and Malala Laugh Quietly
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J: This is-- by the way, I- we talked a little bit before the show.
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Nothing feels better than making you laugh, I will say that.
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M: (laughing quietly) Thank you.
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J: I will say that I enjoyed that very much.
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J: I am Malala it, it-it it's honestly humbling to meet you.
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You are 16, where did your love for education come from?
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M: Um, we are human beings, and this is the part of our, of our human nature-
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that we don't learn the importance of anything until it's snatched from our hands.
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And when- in Pakistan, when we were stopped from going to school, at that time, I realized that education is
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very important. And education is the power for women. And that's why the terrorists are afraid of education.
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They do not want women to get education, because then women would become more powerful.
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Audience Cheering/Applauding
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J: That's exactly- that's exactly right.
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When did the- when the Taliban come to Swat Valley?
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Because, before then, you describe it as a- a paradise, of sorts.
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M: A Taliban came in 2004, but at that time they were quite good.
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They did not show their, they're the terrorism. And they did not blast any school at that time.
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But they started the real terrorism in 2007. They have blasted more than 400 schools in Swat.
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They have slaughtered people.
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And in the month of January, 2009, they- they used to slaugher even two, three people every night.
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And they have flogged women. We have seen the barbaric situation of the 21st century,
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and we have seen like the, the-the cruelty and we have seen harsh days in our life,
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and those will be regarded as the darkest days of our life.
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So, it was- it was really hard of us at that time.
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J: You describe in the book, still, no matter what, they- they took the signs off of schools, they, uh-
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they went underground; but they continued in the face of- you spoke out publicly against the Taliban-
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What gave you the courage to continue this?
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M: You know- my father was a great encouragement for me, because he spoke out-
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uh, he spoke out for women's rights, he spoke out for girls' education. And at that time, I said that,
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"Why shall I wait for someone else?
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Why shall I be looking to the government, to the army, that they would help us?
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Why don't I raise my voice? Why don't we speak up for our rights?"
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The girls of Swat, they spoke up for their rights.
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I started writing diary. I spoke on every media channel that I could.
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And I raised my voice on every platform that I could.
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And I said, I need to tell the world what is happening in Swat.
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And I need to tell the world that Swat is suffering from terrorism, and we need to fight against terrorism.
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J: When did you realize the Taliban had made you a target?
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M: Um- when uh, in 2012, um, we were- I was with my father and someone came and she told us that-
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"Have you seen, on uh, google net, if you research your name, and uh, the Taliban have threatened you?"
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And, I just could not believe it, I said, "No, it's not true." And even after the threat, when we saw it,
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I was not worried about myself that much, I was worried about my father.
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Because we thought that the Taliban are not that much cruel that they will kill a child,
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because I was 14 at that time.
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But then later on, I-I used to like started, I, I started thinking about that and I used to think- think that the
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Talib would come and he would just kill me. But then I said, "If he comes, what would you do, Malala?"
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Um- then I would reply myself that, "Malala, just take a shoe and hit him." But then I said-
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Audience Laughing Lightly
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M: But then I said, "If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference you and the Talib.
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You must not treat others, that much with cruelty, and that much harshly.
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You must fight others, but through peace, and through dialogue, and through education."
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Then I said, I'll tell him how important education is, and that, "I even want education for your children as well."
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And I will tell him, "That's what I want to tell you, now do what you want."
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Audience Cheering and Whistling Loudly
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J: Let me ask you- you know, I know your father is- is backstage. And he's very proud of you, but
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would he be mad, if I adopted you?
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Audience and Malala Laugh
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J: Because, you sure are swell.
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Audience Laughing Lightly
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J: Um, could you stick around?
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I want to talk a little bit more about, sort of, Swat Valley, and- and what it was like growing up there,
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and- and how people can get involved through the Malala fund and- and those types of things.
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Do you have a-a little bit of time uh -to stick around?
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M: Yeah, yeah. Sure.
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J: That would be wonderful, thank you so much.
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J: I Am Malala is on the bookshelves now.
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Audience Cheering Loudly
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Donate to the Malala fund, visit: www.malalafund.org
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Malala Yousafzai
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We'll be right back.
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Triumphant Music
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Audience Cheering
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Audience Cheering
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J: Wonderful to listen to you talk.
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Uh, we are back, we are talking to Malala. The book, I am Malala is on shelves right now.
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Your love of school reminds me so much of my children.
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Audience and Malala Laughing
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J: Okay, maybe not.
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Audience Laughing Lightly
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Uh, the people of Swat Valley- when the Talib first came, they thought-
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"They're bringing order. They're bringing services."
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They established a court that was faster than uh- Pakistani courts.
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M: (Quietly) Yeah
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J: And the people responded.
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When did that being to turn?
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M: When the Taliban came they were trying to convince people, and they were just misusing the name of Islam,
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and they were telling people uh, "We will just set up another court for you.
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and we will provide you justice on time." Because usually in courts in Pakistan, people dies and their
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case is not yet resolved in the- in the, in the courts. So that's what is happening in the courts of Pakistan.
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So people just said like, "If the Taliban are doing it, why don't we support them?"
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But- then they were that much cruel when their- they started slaughtering people.
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And they even blasted a, uh-a generator of electricity.
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And it was the month of Ramadan, in which we keep fast,
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in which we don't eat on the day, in which we don't drink for the whole day.
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They blasted the electricity generators which was providing electricity to the whole city of Mingora.
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And we could not have water because it is- electricity is related to water supply as well.
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And people were sitting in the dark, people could not buy electricity generators,
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people were just sitting in the light of candles, and people were just dying of thirst at that time.
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But my father is a great father, because he bought generator for the school to- to create electricity,
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and to uh, um, and to provide water to the- the uh, street and to that community.
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But still, many people were- were suffering from that hard situation.
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And other that, our freedom was taken from us.
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J: Yes.
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M: The women's freedom- we could not go to market. We were not allowed to go to school.
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We were just kept imprisoned. We were just limited to the four walls of our house.
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Women's ri- women's rights were denied at that time. And that's why I spoke.
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Because I believe in equality. And I believe there is no difference between a man and a woman.
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I even believe that a woman is more powerful than men.
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J: What-wait, whoa, wait, what?
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Audience Cheering/Whistling
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J: What? I-wait!
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Audience Continues Cheering & Malala Laughs
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J: You know-
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Audience Continues Applauding
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J: Malala, this was going so well-
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Audience & Malala Laugh
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J: You were doing so beautifully...and then suddenly, BAM!
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Audience & Malala Laugh
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J: It's-- this is the part that they, they uh- began to say, "You cannot dance."
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M: (somberly) Yeah.
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You cannot- uh- the women cannot do these things.
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Uh-You, you say that, that many people believe uh- this is a- a wrong interpretation of Islam, Uh-of, of the Qur'an.
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Do you- Why have the Taliban and these more extreme groups been able to be successful?
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Is it the fear that they bring uh- to these towns?
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Do they i-is that why the people have had a hard time throwing it off?
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M: The first thing is that they were really cruel, they had "clashin coves," they had guns in their hand.
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And If I had a gun in my hand and I tell you something, "Do this." You have to do that!
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Because it's, it's for your life.
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So there was fear- all around. That's why our people could not say anything.
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And then the second thing was that they were misusing the name of Islam.
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They were telling people that, "We are doing this for Islam. We are doing this for Allah.
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We are doing this for prophet. Peace be upon Him."
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So- as well as- they were using religion for their own personal benefit. So that's also- they- the reason.
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But then, later on, people tried to realize this. And the girls, are very brave.
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And girls in our school-like we were, at that time we were just 11 or 12 years old.
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But we spoke up for our rights to every media channel, to every newspaper that we could.
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And we did not know at that time that our small interview would have an impact or not, but it had,
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because we were raising up our voice, and we were speaking up for our rights.
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And we were speaking for peace in Swat, we wanted to live a normal life.
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Because Swat is like a paradise on earth. I believe in two paradises. One-one I'll get after death,
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but the other one, that is on earth, for me that is Swat, because Swat is really beautiful.
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And you would be, you would be astonished when you see the lush green hills,
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and when you see the tall mountain. And the- and the rivers that we have, the crystal clear water,
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and you can find trout. So it's really beautiful, you would love Swat!
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J: Malala, ple- I'm, I'm from New Jersey.
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Malala Laughs, Audience Laughs/Cheers
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J: So- I know a little something about paradise.
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Audience Laughs/One Person Cheers
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J: The beaches-- it does, it-it sounds magnificent.
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And it's, it is heartbreaking, because you see uh, uh- what these children want and what this people want is
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to just live in peace, without having this imposed on them.
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M: (Somberly) Yeah.
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J: And I think, we don't know what to do to help.
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You know, there are passages in the book about the United States. Uh- and uh- we come out great.
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One Audience Member Yells, "Yeah!" Malala Laughs
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J: But there, there is, you know, there are attacks in Swat and in those areas- drones.
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And, and uh, the talk about a man, a CIA uh, agent who shot two men in Lahore.
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Malala: (somberly) Yeah.
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J: Uh, Raymond uh-
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M: (quietly) Davis.
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J: Davis.
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And this is, is- I think we have a common want, and desire.
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But perhaps are not accomplishing it in-in the manner that, that shows the people how we- how we feel.
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But in some ways, we don't know what else to do. What, what- what is- what is your thought on that?
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M: Um- I think that the people of America, the United States,
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uh- they truly support uh- peace, and they say that, "We must not fight against war, through war. "
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They believe that dialogue is the best way. And we must try to find a solution for it!
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And in my opinion, the solution that would work, to fight all these wars,
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and all these problems that people are facing, is only education.
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Because you can- you can stop war for a second, but you don't know- it will start again or not.
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We have seen first world war, we have seen second world war, and I think third world war is coming.
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But I believe that we must stop it now. I don't want to see a third world war in- in this world again.
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And the best way to fight against this war is education because- as we can see,
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the children are suffering from terrorism, they are suffering from child labor and child trafficking.
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They're also suffering from the culture norms and traditions.
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These are- there is not only one issue that we are facing through, there are many others as well.
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So I think, education is the best way. People will be thinking,
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"Does going to school, learning about chemistry and physics and maths, and that it?"
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Going to school is not only learning about learning different subjects. It teaches you communication,
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it teaches you how to live a life, it teaches you about history, it teaches you about how science is working.
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And other than that, you learn about equality. Because students are provided the same benches,
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they sit equally. They- it shows us equality. It teaches students, how to-how to live with others together,
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how to accept each other's language, how to accept each other's traditions, and each other's religion.
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It also teaches us justice, it also teaches us respect. It- it teaches us how to live together.
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So that's why I support the- I support the idea of sending children to school,
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because it is the best way to fight terrorism.
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And I want people to support us in this cause,
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and through Malala foundation we want to work for education of girls in dev- uh, in the developing countries,
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especially in Syria now. They are suffering, they are homeless now.
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We want to help children in Afghanistan, because they have been suffering from terrorism for decades.
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We want to help the children of India as well, because they are victims of child labor.
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So I think issues and problems are enormous, but solution is one, and that is simple- that is education.
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Audience Applauding
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J: I, uh...I, I, I am humbled, humbled to speak with you.
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Uh, I will say this. I don't know where you come from.
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Malala laughs
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J: But I am very glad you're here. Thank you for being here today.
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Audience Applauding/Cheering Loudly
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J: Wonderful. Please, get the book. Donate to the Malala fund by visiting www.malalafund.org
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J: Malala Yousafzai
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Audience Applauding/Cheering Loudly
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No audio