The youngest ever Nobel Peace Prize winner is to speak at a special event organised for those who took part in December’s charity Sleep in the Park events.
Malala Yousafzai was shot in the head by the Taliban as a punishment for campaigning for women’s education rights. The bullet grazed the brain of the then 15-year old before lodging in her neck.
Malala made a full recovery and, now 21, has gone on to study at Oxford University. She remains a passionate campaigner for women’s right to education. In 2014, at the age of 17, she was the joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, making her the recipient’s youngest ever winner.
On March 13 Malala will address an audience of around 2,000 at Edinburgh’s EICC in an event organised by Social Bite, the charity behind Sleep in the Park.
The announcement of the event comes as momentum for Sleep in the Park 2018 gathers pace, with this year’s events taking place in four of Scotland’s major cities: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen. The Dundee event will be held in Slessor Gardens.
Each business team of five who sign up to take part in the sleepout will receive tickets to the Malala dinner, along with the top 50 individual fundraisers.
Social Bite is hoping upwards of 12,000 will take part in Sleep in the Park, which takes place on December 8. The event aims to raise upwards of £4 million to tackle homelessness in Scotland.
Amy MacDonald, KT Tunstall, Lulu, Frightened Rabbit and Irvine Welsh have all been confirmed for the event, with more acts and special guests still to be announced.
While in Scotland, Malala will also visit the Social Bite Restaurant, Vesta, in Edinburgh for a private lunch with key supporters. The Nobel Laureate’s visit will also mark the launch of Social Bite’s 2019 campaign.
Social Bite co-founder Josh Littlejohn said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Malala has accepted our invitation to Scotland to speak at our special dinner, as well as visit our restaurant, Vesta, for lunch. It is an honour.
“It is an amazing opportunity for those participating in this year’s Sleep in the Park event to attend a special thank you dinner and hear about the journey of this remarkable young woman, who has done so much for girls’ education and social justice throughout the world. The occasion will also be a fantastic way to mark the launch of our 2019 campaign.”
Members of the public can join Sleep in the Park by committing to raise a minimum of £100. Businesses can sponsor the event by signing up a team of five with a minimum fundraising commitment for £3,000.
To find out more about taking part visit www.sleepinthepark.co.uk.
