PICS: Malala Yousafzai celebrate her 18th birthday with #BooksNotBullets

Last week in Oslo, Malala Yousafzai announced to the world that she no longer wanted presents or wishes for her birthday - she wanted action.

Over the past week thousands of people joined her campaign for #BooksNotBullets to celebrate the activist’s 18th birthday yesterday.

People are taking pictures of themselves with their favourite books, captioned with why they are choosing books over violence, in a bid to tell world leaders to fund education.

According to the campaign page on Malala.org, if the world ceased spending money on military operations for just eight days, the world could save $39 billion (€35.2 billion) and in so doing provide 12 years of free education for every child on the planet.

Take a look at some of the #BooksNotBullets campaigners in action.

#BooksNotBullets A bullet is used once, to end a life. A book is used for years, to enrich many lives. #malalafund pic.twitter.com/Z3vKtwt4xB

— Michael Huggins (@MichaelHugg2591) July 2, 2015

Two books that influenced both me and my writing. They taught me to survive. #booksnotbullets pic.twitter.com/YhzIACwSfo

— Dawn Kurtagich | Horror Author (@dawnkurtagich) July 6, 2015

This book set me on to reading and loving history- changed my life. Choose #booksnotbullets. @orionbooks @MalalaFund pic.twitter.com/w7XyxVZg6I

— Alice Morley (@morleyalice) July 6, 2015

#booksnotbullets because education is a human right & it is the key to positive global development. @MalalaFund pic.twitter.com/z2SlxuGLIj

— Erinne Paisley (@ErinneP) July 4, 2015

A copy of the book that woke me up and changed my life when I was a teenager in vast America. #booksnotbullets pic.twitter.com/mMDydTGLcP

— Hanuman Bob (@themoonwithjag) July 2, 2015

Cortazar’s Hopscotch reminds me everything’s a part of everything else. Let’s be part of @malalafund #booksnotbullets pic.twitter.com/mAYRp1yBrf

— Daniel Handler (@DanielHandler) July 6, 2015