Attending your first Taylor Swift show is always a big deal. But for Nobel Peace Prize winner and girls’ education activist Malala Yousafzai, seeing an Eras Tour show in London over the weekend was a milestone for much deeper reasons.
The 27-year-old Pakistani activist who has been a vocal advocate for human rights and the education of women and girls for more than a decade posted a moving story on Instagram on Saturday (August 17) describing the emotions she was feeling while attending the show with her husband and some of her oldest friends.
“One of my favorite memories from Swat Valley is a field trip I took in middle school with my best friend, Moniba (second photo, on the left). Giggling, we went to a waterfall hidden away in a lush green mountain. We were so excited because we were finally allowed to go to school again and could be outdoors with our friends, laughing and singing together,” wrote Yousafzai, who grew up in Pakistan under repressive Taliban rule that included bans on music and television, as well as a bar on girls going to school.
“Having lived through a time where music and art were banned, music felt like a gift,” she continued. “Moniba and I found the highest rock we could, climbed on top of it and announced to all of our classmates and teachers we were going to perform our new favourite song called ‘LOVE STORY.’ We sang with all of our heart, taking in the joy we felt every second. That’s where my Swiftie journey began. It feels magical that my first-ever proper concert would be to see @TaylorSwift, singing along to every song surrounded by friends.”
Yousafzai, 27, whose story became international news when she and two other girls were shot by a Taliban gunman in Oct. 2012 in an assassination attempt, used her post to once again spotlight the repressive nature of Taliban rule and the disturbing backsliding on human rights that she said has occurred over the past few years.
“Three years ago, the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan. Once again, music no longer plays on the streets, and girls and women are barred from school, work and public life,” Yousafzai said. “In Swat, music made my friends and me feel confident and free. And one day I hope we will live in a world where every girl will be able to enjoy music and live out her wildest dreams. 💖”
In addition to a photo with her husband, Asser Malik, with the packed Wembley Stadium in the background, Yousafzai’s photo roll included the snap with her childhood best friend, another of her making a hand heart and pics of her crew’s friendship bracelets.
Swift is in the midst of a five-night run at London’s Wembley Stadium, with two more shows slated for Monday (August 19) and Tuesday night (August 20). The shows took place after Swift was forced to cancel a planned string of three shows in Vienna due to a terror plot aimed at attacking fans gathered outside the stadium. Two Austrian teenagers have been arrested in the case and a third was detained for questioning.
Check out Malala’s post below.
