NEW YORK, NY.- On the heels of the Jonathan Yeo Portraits exhibition at the London National Portrait Gallery, Christie’s will offer at auction the portrait of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot by the Taliban for courageously campaigning for girls’ education. Generously offered by the artist, the painting, estimated $60,000-80,000, will be sold during the day sale of Post -War and Contemporary Art, to benefit the Malala Fund, a charity set up by Malala to support the fight for girls’ right to education. Called the "Bravest Girl in the World" by President Barack Obama, she recently awarded the International Children’s Peace Prize for her inspirational work and courage.

“I was honoured that Jonathan asked to paint me for his exhibition in the National Portrait Gallery and am grateful that Christie’s has agreed to auction the portrait to help girls go to school around the world. The funds raised will support the work of the Malala Fund, including helping young Syrian refugees in Jordan and girls freed from child labor now attending school in Pakistan. I hope that whoever buys the painting knows that their generosity will directly help children in some of the most challenging environments in the world,” declared Malala.

Jonathan Yeo first met Malala in April 2013 when she was recovering from a severe head injury after being shot by the Taliban. He said: “It was a great privilege to spend some time with Malala and her family at such a pivotal moment in her life.” Given how much she has already been through and all that she represents to the world, it took a while to adjust to the fact that she is still a very fragile teenager. “Hopefully the painting reflects the slight paradox of representing someone with enormous power and wisdom yet vulnerability and youth at the same time.”