Malala Yousafzai visited the University of Birmingham and appealed to women physicists from around the globe to spread the message of ‘education for all’.
The United Nations’ Messenger for Peace addressed more than 200 delegates at the International Conference on Women in Physics, which was hosted by the University on behalf of the Institute of Physics (IOP) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP).
As a passionate advocate for education, Malala spoke about her work and efforts to encourage and ensure opportunities in developed and developing countries for young women to enter education.
She said: “I have just one ask of people attending this international conference, which is that delegates spread the message of education for all, and inspire others to do the same. Advocating education brings change and that change brings hope and opportunity to young women around the world.”
Malala is the Co-Founder of the Malala Fund, an organisation dedicated to giving all girls access to education. She is a United Nations’ Messenger for Peace with a focus on education and the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace prize.
The 2017 IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics saw representatives of 60 countries come to Birmingham. Universal access to and participation in science, is a principle that runs through the activities of the International Scientific Union (ICSU) and its member unions, including the IUPAP.
IUPAP has recognised a particular need to foster the participation of women in physics and this year’s conference was organised in partnership with the IOP and the Universities of Nottingham and Warwick.
The event was co-sponsored by IOP and the Universities of Birmingham, Nottingham and Warwick, as well as the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL).
