Celebrity Cruises has announced a two-year partnership with the Malala Fund. Sharing values such as inclusion, diversity, and gender equality, the brand has joined forces with the Malala Fund, whose mission is to ensure 12 years of free, safe, and quality education for all girls.
Inspired by Malala's mission and the improvement of girls' education, Celebrity is honored to name 19-year-old Nobel Prize winner and UN Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai as Godmother of its new ship, Celebrity Edge, which will debut in 2018.
Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of Celebrity Cruises, said that Malala's dedication to girls' education is an inspiration. “Our partnership with the Malala Fund is a perfect fit as we share the same passion and commitment to this incredible cause. We believe in equal opportunities for all, especially when our onboard crew represents more than 50 different cultures and inspiring stories of achievement, education, and economic advancement.”.
“Malala is an inspiration and a voice of hope,” said Richard Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “This young woman is carrying out a powerful mission that we wholeheartedly support. We are honored to name Malala as Godmother of Celebrity Edge, and we are excited to partner with her and the Malala Fund to champion the global right to education.” Fain added, “The Malala Fund also embodies one of the core tenets of our philosophy: that education is a powerful catalyst for equality, providing opportunities to those who need them most.”.
For her part, Philippa Lei, interim CEO of the Malala Fund, said: “We cannot educate 130 million girls on our own. We are very grateful to partners like Celebrity Cruises who support our work to help every girl learn and lead without fear.”.
With an ancient maritime tradition, the role of Godmother is a title and a lifelong honor. During the ship's launch, the godmother is responsible for wishing it good luck on its voyage and inspiring the entire crew by breaking a bottle at the bow of the vessel as the ship is named, thus officiating the ceremony.
Malala began her activism at age 11, writing a secret blog about life under the Taliban, which did not allow girls to attend school. She was punished for her persistence and, at the age of 15, was shot on a school bus. Malala survived and continued her campaign for girls' education around the world. In 2014, Malala became the youngest person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, donating all of her winnings to fund secondary schools for girls in Pakistan. Through the Malala Fund, she continues her fight for education for all girls.
