Malala Yousafzai, the teenager who was shot for standing up for women’s education has delivered a powerful, wonderful interview with chat show host Jon Stewart.

The 16-year-old was shot in the head and neck while on her way to school with her friends in Pakistan.

We get a glimpse of her passion and extraordinary communication skills. She is part of our history.

If you can’t open now here’s a taste:

Jon: It’s honestly humbling to meet you. You’re sixteen, where did your love for education come from?

Malala: We are human beings and this is the part of our human nature that we don’t learn the importance of anything until it’s snatched from our hands.  In Pakistan when we were stopped from going to school, at that time I realised that education is very important and education is the power for women and that’s why the terrorists are afraid of education they do not want women to get education because then women will become more powerful.

Jon: When did the Taliban come to Swat Valley, because before then you describe it as a paradise of sort?

Malala: The Taliban came in 2004 but at that time they were quite good.. they did not blast any school at that time. But they started the real terrorism in 2007, they have blasted more than 400 schools in Swat, they have slaughtered people and in the month of january 2009, they used to slaughter even 2 or 3 people every night and they have flogged women. We have seen the barbaric situation of the 21st century. We have seen the cruelty and we have seen harsh days in our life and those are regarded as the harshest days in our life. It was really hard for us at that time.

Jon: What gave you the courage to continue this?

Malala: My father was a great encouragement to me because he spoke out for women’s rights he spoke out for girl’s education. At that time I said why should I wait for someone else, why should I be looking to  the government or the army that they would help us. Why I don’t I raise my voice, why don’t I speak up for my rights, the girls of Swat, they spoke up for their rights. I started writing a diary. I spoke on every media platform that I could and it is my voice.. I said, I need to tell the world what is happening in Swat.

ABOUT: Malala Yousafzai

• After she was shot she was allowed to go to Britain for surgery, she now lives outside London with her family
• Youngest person ever to be nominated for a Nobel Peace prize
• The Taliban have still vowed to kill her
• You can donate to the Malala Fund www.malalafund.org

As the host Jon Stewart said, she sure is swell. She’s someone all young girls should know on a first-name basis. What do you think?