We realize the importance of light when we see darkness. We realize the importance of our voice when we are silenced. In the same way when we were in Swat, we realized the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns.

We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.

We liked to be known as the clever girls. When we decorated our hands with henna for holidays and weddings, we drew calculus and chemical formulae instead of flowers and butterflies.

Extremists have shown what frightens them most. A girl with a book.

Every girl deserves to take part in creating the technology that will change our world and change who runs it.

My mother always told me,”hide your face- people are looking at you”. I would reply,”It does not matter; I am also looking at them.

And if we want to achieve our goal, then let us empower ourselves with the weapon of knowledge and let us shield ourselves with unity and togetherness.