Year in review: our favourite girl-powered moments of 2017

In every corner of the world, young women were breaking barriers, speaking out and making 2017 a defining year in the fight for girls’ education.

Malala celebrated her 20th birthday with girls at an amusement park in Iraq. (Credit: Malin Fezehai for Malala Fund)

As we head into 2018, we look back on some of the highlights and moments that made 2017 a defining year for girls — and girls’ education.

This year, Malala celebrated her 20th birthday at an amusement park in Erbil, Iraq, inviting Iraqi, Kurdish and Christian IDP girls who had escaped ISIS to join in the fun. They went on the ferris wheel, rode the carousel, drove bumper cars and enjoyed cotton candy.

While in Iraqi-Kurdistan, Malala met Nayir, a 13-year-old IDP who endured years of conflict in Mosul before fleeing with her family. When they spoke, Nayir described what it felt like to return to school: “It was as if all my hopes came back.”

Nayir at her camp in Iraqi-Kurdistan (Credit: Tess Thomas)

In April, Malala became the youngest person ever to address the Canadian Parliament.

In Ottawa, Malala joined Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and girls’ rights activists (and twin sisters) Maryam and Nivaal for an interview on Facebook Live.

Girls from Colombia, Brazil and Mexico joined Malala for a cooking class in Mexico City. While making delicious sopes, they shared stories about what life is like for girls in their communities.

(From left) Sydney, Alma, Malala, Luisa and Maria make tortillas during a cooking a class in Mexico City. (Credit: Alicia Vera)

In September, girls Malala had met on her travels — Najlaa, from Iraq, and Marie Claire, from the Congo — came to the United Nations General Assembly to speak on behalf of girls. They addressed some of world’s most powerful leaders and stood up for girls’ education. And in their spare time, the girls had fun touring New York City.

Najlaa visited the Brooklyn Bridge on her trip to New York City where she spoke at the United Nations General Assembly. (Credit: Bhumika Regmi)

This year we met Rani—the talented singer, cricketer, martial artist and roller skating champion from Varanasi, India. Despite the prevalence of poverty and restrictive customs in her community, Rani excels in school and her extracurricular activities. Rani’s accomplishments make her a role model to girls in her neighbourhood and community.

Rani practices martial arts in her school in Varanasi. (Credit: Bhumika Regmi)

On #GivingTuesday — a day to give to causes you care about — Malala made phone calls to Malala Fund donors to thank them for their support of girls’ education. One conversation with Omar, who was also from Pakistan, stood out when he told Malala he wants his 2-year-old niece to “grow up as strong as [her].”

Help Malala Fund have even more game-changing girl moments next year as we continue to fight for every girl’s right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education. With your support, girls can achieve their dreams and change the world.