[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he London-based NGO, Amnesty International has awarded its highest honour to Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the head last year by the Taliban for campaigning for girls’ education. The attack drew worldwide condemnation. Recently, she was also awarded the Children’s Peace Prize and had earlier been nominated for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.Malala will share the 2013 Ambassador of Conscience Award with American singer and human rights activist, Harry Belafonte. The award recognises “individuals promoted and enhanced the cause pf human rights by their life and example.” It will be presented by Irish rock singer Bono in Dublin of Tuesday September 24.
The two new Ambassadors of Conscience are not only decades apart in their years but culturally poles apart, in fact as far as the east is from the west. But they are united in their unstinted dedication to the fight for human rights everywhere and for all. They have been speaking up for universal rights, justice and human dignity and inspiring others to follow their example.
Malala was flown to Britain for surgery for her head injuries and went to school in Birmingham in March. She said she was truly honoured to receive the award. In what may be considered as a comment on the rigid mindset of males in Pakistan and others worldwide, she also said: “I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that there are many millions of children like me across the world who fight every single day for their right to go to school.
Harry George “Harry” Belafonte has crooned several popular numbers some of which topped the charts. His most famous, and still popular, song is “Jamaica Farewell.” Elvis Presley was called the “King of Rock ’n Roll” and Michael as the “King of Pop” but Harry Belafonte was already popularly known as the “King of Calypso.” His kind of music practically dominates the Caribbean.
While Malala got practically instant recognition no doubt because of the fast-paced events these days, Harry Belafonte took years of struggling for the rights of the Blacks and downtrodden not only in the USA but also in the Caribbean countries.
Back home, the Nagaland Alliance for Child Rights (NSCR) will have its first consultative meet on children and women rights in Dimapur on Sept. 25. This is a positive sign that we are also getting on the bandwagon which although a child’s step is definitely in the right direction.
