Squash Star To Speak At UN Conference by Nathan Clarke photo PSA
June 2, 2016
- Pakistani squash player Maria Toorpakai Wazir is set to share her
extraordinary story of triumph in the face of adversity when she leads
a discussion at the United Nation's Women's International Forum on
Monday, June 6.
Wazir, the World No.66, released her
autobiography titled 'A Different Kind of Daughter' earlier this year,
which charts her remarkable journey to becoming a professional athlete
by disguising herself as a boy in order to train, compete and attend
school in her native Waziristan - a Taliban controlled area of Pakistan
where the idea of sport for women is decried un-Islamic and girls
rarely leave their homes.
With the support of her parents
Wazir defied Taliban-threats, competing in the face of almost universal
hostility to prevail and is now the top ranked female squash player in
Pakistan - and she will share her story with some of the most
influential women in the international arena on Monday.
“Maria
is an extraordinary role-model not just for women in sport but for all
women around the world,” said PSA Deputy Chairman Ashley Bernhard.
“Her
story is one of incredible bravery and determination and to even begin
to imagine the challenges and threats that she has overcome in order to
pursue her dream is truly inspiring. Maria’s journey is one that can
inspire millions of women around the world to realise that they too can
empower themselves and she will be a fitting spokeswomen for the sport
of squash and for women’s rights during the upcoming UN meeting and I
would like to thank the UN members for giving Maria the opportunity to
share her story with them next week."
