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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

On the anniversary of the attack that nearly took her life, Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai speaks with Anna Maria Tremonti, in her only Canadian interview, about why the Taliban are so frightened of educated women.
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Although the Taliban promises to try to kill Malala again if they get the chance, she continues to fight for her cause and encourages all of Pakistan's sons and daughters to pursue an education. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
The Current45:33I am Malala: A conversation with Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai was just 15 years old when a would-be assassin shot her in the head as she headed home from school in Pakistan.

Now, on the first anniversary of that attack, Malala sits down with Anna Maria Tremonti for her only Canadian interview to speak about her fight for female education in Pakistan and life in the crosshairs of the Taliban.

Malala Yousafzai (Full Interview)

11 years ago
Duration 43:36
The Current's Anna Maria Tremonti speaks with Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani student and activist who was shot by the Taliban for her strong support of education rights.​

"Violence in Pakistan. So grotesquely common it doesn't register as news most nights. But it does tonight. Because of who it is bleeding on that stretcher. 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, just a school girl who's proved braver then most adults. In 2009, when the Taliban was beheading activists in her city of Mingora Swat, when they bombed girl schools and demanded girls not even try to get an education, it was 11-year-old Malala who decided she would stand up and defend a girl's right to go to school".

This was Adrienne Arsenault's report on The National one year ago tonight. The attempted assassination of made headlines around the world.

A lot has happened since that dark day in Swat. Malala Yousafzai and her family have relocated to Birmingham in the United Kingdom. She has addressed the United Nations, received numerous international awards for her work, and this Friday she finds out if she is this year's Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

Malala Yousafzai writes about the Taliban attack that nearly killed her and her campaign to bring education to girls around the world in her new memoir, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban.

Anna Maria joined Malala Yousafzai in New York for her only Canadian interview. After Anna Maria interviewed Malala Yousafzai, she reflected on their conversation: 

Interviewing Malala: Behind the Scenes with Anna-Maria Tremonti

11 years ago
Duration 1:13
Anna Maria Tremonti talks about her interview with Pakistani student and activist Malala Yousafzai. The interview airs on The National.

The National has more coverage on Malala Yousafzai's life, including a visit with the other two girls, also shot on the bus that day.

This segment was produced by The Current's Howard Goldenthal.

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