Malala Yousafzai guest of honour on visit to Scotland

A Pakistani teenager who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban will urge the international community to uphold human rights during a visit to Scotland.

Malala Yousafzai, 16, was shot after her views on education and women’s rights brought her into conflict with the Taliban.

She will address the first public meeting of the Global Citizenship Commission, a body of leaders representing politics, religious institutions, law and philanthropy, at Edinburgh University on October 19.

The commission, led by UN special envoy for global education Gordon Brown, will discuss developments since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was passed in 1948.

Malala will be guest of honour at the event, which is supported by New York University and Carnegie UK Trust.

Trust chief executive Martyn Evans said: “This event is all about listening to the challenges of the modern world and I can’t think of a better ambassador or teacher than Malala.”

Edinburgh University principal Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea said: “How we understand and promote human rights is a matter of global significance and it is a privilege to host the first public hearing of the commission.”