Mumbai, Sept 8: Actor Somy Ali heaped praise on Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai on International Literacy Day, which is celebrated today.

Education for all

“When I think of education and its significance, I think of Malala Yousafzai. To be actually shot in the head solely for wanting girls to pursue an education is a concept so bizarre to me that it appals and infuriates me to no end,” said Somy.

According to her, education is every human being’s basic right whether you live in a third world country, in a rural area or a liberal society. “Having said that, with the recent developments pertaining to Afghanistan, my heart is shattered as to what the girls and women’s plight will be because of those barbaric Taliban. They have already removed women from workplaces, and this is just the beginning,” said Somy about the recent Taliban takeover.

It is inconceivable to her that in 2021, there are still places where children are unable to obtain an education.  “Yes, one learns real-life lessons from experiences and from deception, yet, without knowledge or education, there is no chance of progression towards a career or being successful. Be it a textbook, a memoir, or a novel, books are a key part of our existence. And, for me personally, teachers or professors should be worshipped for the career they chose,” said the activist.

“Unfortunately, they are also the most underpaid professionals which is ironic given it is because of them that we have doctors and lawyers who make six-figure salaries while professors and teachers do not even earn close to that amount,” she pointed out

Getting right opportunity

Salman Khan’s ex-girlfriend thinks that she is solely where she is today due to the opportunity and privilege she was given to obtain an education. “Without an education, I would not be able to conduct an intellectual conversation, I would not know about history or the ongoing wars over a piece of land for over 70 years now. I would not know who Ralph Waldo Emerson was, my favourite writer. Above all, without an education I would not have initiated No More Tears, an organization which has rescued and saved over 30,000 women, children and men’s lives,” said the founder and president of No More Tears, Inc.