In 2009, at the age of eleven, Malala wrote a blog under a pseudonym detailing her life under Taliban rule and their attempts to control the valley and her views on promoting education for young girls. On July 12, 2013, Malala Yousafzai addressed the Youth Assembly at the U.N. on her 16th Birthday. A portion of her speech: "... Dear friends, on October 9, 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends, too. They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed. And out of that silence came thousands of voices. The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear, and hopelessness died. Strength, power, and courage were born. I am the same Malala. My ambitions are the same. My hopes are the same. And my dreams are the same. Dear sisters and brothers, I am not against anyone. Neither am I here to speak in terms of personal revenge against the Taliban or any other terrorist group. I am here to speak for the right to education for every child. I want education for the sons and daughters of the Taliban and all the terrorists and extremists. I do not even hate the Taliban who shot me. ...". On January 31, 2014, the United Nations' NGO Executive Committee invited me to be a guest panelist at the 15th Annual CTAUN Conference at the United Nations Headquarters in honor of Malala Yousafzai, where "Malala: Thank you for your courage" was unveiled.