Malala: "Books are a better investment in our future than bullets."

It was Malala’s birthday yesterday, and she celebrated in true Malala style.

“Books are a better investment in our future than bullets.”

That’s a quote from Malala Yousafzai on her 18th birthday.

The assassination survivor and girls’ education advocate is using her birthday to launch yet another amazing campaign to educate children, ABC News reports..

“Today on my first day as an adult, on behalf of the world’s children, I demand of leaders we must invest in books instead of bullets,” Malala said in a speech, while opening a school for girls.

Malala’s campaign asks people to post photos of themselves with their favourite book on social media alongside the hashtag #BooksNotBullets.

“Post a photo of yourself holding up your favorite book and share why YOU choose #BooksNotBullets – and tell world leaders to fund the real weapon for change, education,” she wrote on MalalaFund.org.

In a speech in Oslo last week, Malala explained how a tiny reduction in the world’s military budgets could educate children all over the world.

Related content: Malala’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech will knock your socks off.

“If the world leaders decide to take one week and a day off from war and military work, we can put every child in school. Weapons are the tools of destruction, it’s very simple. A war can never end a war, and there is always loss of lives and destruction involved,” she told the Oslo education summit.

“Books are a better investment in our future than bullets. Books, not bullets, will pave the path towards peace and prosperity.”

She announced her beautiful idea while opening a school for Syrian refugees in Lebanon (of course).

“I decided to be in Lebanon because I believe that the voices of the Syrian refugees need to be heard and they have been ignored for so long,” Ms Yousafzai said.

“In Lebanon as well as in Jordan, an increasing number of refugees are being turned back at the border. This is inhuman and this is shameful.”

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Malala’s not-for-profit organisation The Malala Fund financed the school in the Bekaa Valley for 200 girls, aged 14 to 18.

According to ABC News, Lebanon is home to more than a million of the four million refugees fleeing conflict and persecution in Syria. Of the 500,000 school-aged children, only a fifth are being formally educated.

The #BooksNotBullets campaign has already garnered hundreds of online supporters, with men, women and children flocking to social media sites to post their photos.

Malala rose to international notoriety after she was shot by the Taliban for advocating the education of women in Pakistan.

She miraculously survived the attack and went on to become the youngest ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

What is your favourite book?

Related content:

The men who attacked Malala have been sentenced.

Angelina Jolie writes about Malala Yousafzai.

Malala Yousafzai writes a letter to the 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram.

A make-up free selfie won’t help Malala.