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Canada: International activist Malala Yousafzai to receive honorary citizenship

| | Apr 13, 2017, at 02:27 am
Toronto, Apr 12 (IBNS): Nobel Peace Prize winner and a brutal Taliban attack survivor, Malala Yousafzai would receive honorary citizenship today during a formal ceremony in Ottawa before she addresses the House of Commons, media reports said.

The speech, expected to begin at about 12 p.m. ET. CBC.ca, will have live coverage of Yousafzai's arrival on the Hill and her address to Parliament, CBCNews reports said.

"Honorary citizenship is an extraordinary recognition conferred upon a recipient which does not confer legal status under the Citizenship Act," said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship spokeswoman Nancy Caron, CBCNews reports said.

Malala Yousafzai will become Canada's sixth honorary citizen.

Other five people, who had been granted honorary Canadian citizenship, were Karim Aga Khan, imam in 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi, 2007, Tenzin Gyatso, in 2006, Nelson Mandelai n 2001 and Raoul Wallenberg in 1985.

She had become an international activist after surviving the attack by a masked gunman at age 15 for her advocacy on the right for girls to learn and attend school.

During her visit to Ottawa, she is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Later in the afternoon, Yousafzai will meet with interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose.

"Malala is a symbol of determination and hope for young girls around the world…to stand up for those who need support," she said in a statement provided to CBC News.

"Her presence in the House of Commons, just a month after Equal Voice brought together 338 Daughters…we are to thrive and prosper as a global community," Nancy Peckford, executive director of Equal Voices told CBC.


(Reporting by Asha Bajaj,Image: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)
 

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