Pakistani Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai has been chosen to deliver the 21st Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in December, making her the youngest person ever to address this prestigious platform. The announcement was made by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, a non-profit organization established by Nelson Mandela in 1999 to champion freedom and equality.
The Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture has historically featured influential speakers, including luminaries such as United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, philanthropist Bill Gates, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and former UN Secretary-general Kofi Annan, among others.
We are honoured to announce that @Malala, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, has graciously accepted our invitation to deliver the 21st Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture.
Scheduled for 5 December 2023, this lecture holds special significance as it coincides with the tenth anniversary of… pic.twitter.com/0rPWMQflzH
— NelsonMandela (@NelsonMandela) October 2, 2023
The foundation stated, “Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai will deliver the 21st Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in Johannesburg on 5 December 2023.” Malala’s selection for this honor reflects her embodiment of the kind of leadership needed to address global challenges and her role as an inspiring symbol of hope for a fair and just future, according to Verne Harris, Acting CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
