Cannes LIONS honours Malala Yousafzai with 2022 LionHeart Award
New Delhi: The Cannes Lion International Festival of Creativity announced to honour the girls’ education activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai, with the 2022 Cannes LionHeart award on Wednesday, May 18, 2022.
The award is presented to people who harnessed their position to make a significant and positive difference to the world around us. Pakistan-born Malala’s life took a turn when the Taliban captured her town and banned girls from attending schools.
She survived a fatal attack from the Pakistan Talban after standing up and publicly speaking on behalf of girls and their right to education. Malala and her father Ziauddin co-founded Malala Fund in 2014. The fund is a non-profit organisation that is dedicated to providing an opportunity to girls for achieving a future of her desire.
Chairman of LIONS, Philip Thomas, said in this regard, “Malala’s strength and courage is an inspiration. Her creative leadership of Malala Fund has successfully established a charity that is creating positive change for many across the globe.”
“The LionHeart is awarded to those that are making a genuine difference to the world and to whom we offer the platform of Cannes Lions to appeal to the world’s communicators to help their cause. We are humbled to be presenting her with this award in June, and we know that the creative community will respond with their customary generosity and creativity,” he added.
The LionHeart has previously been awarded to Bono, Al Gore, Blake Mycoskie, Richard Curtis, Paul Polman and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
“Girls have the power to boost economies, create jobs, make communities safer and drive change. But to see the future educated girls can create will require individuals, leaders and companies across every sector to take action. I am honoured to accept this year’s LionHeart Award and look forward to connecting with the creatives at Cannes Lions around how companies can lend their platforms, expertise and resources to accelerate progress for young women, girls and our world,” Malala said while accepting the award.
(Avya Mathur)
