UNITED NATIONS - Asia Society on Friday honoured Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a prominent Pakistani filmmaker, and 11 other leaders and institutions as its inaugural class of Asia Game Changers.
Malala, 17, addressed the glittering ceremony, held at UN Headquarters in New York, via video message from Birmingham, where she is completing her studies.
"I thank the Asia Society for this honour, being included in [this] list of remarkable people," she said. "There are so many countries and issues that children are suffering through, but there are game changers as well who are going to speak, who are going to change the game and who are going to work for their future. We have to do it together."
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the Asia Game Changers at the ceremony.
Ban saluted the "array of remarkable Asians" being honoured, noting that "the world got a head start" on the evening's proceedings with last week's announcement that the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize would be shared by two Asians, Pakistan's Malala and India's Kailash Satyarthi.
Honourees were selected based on input from Asia Society's global network, it said.
"The Asia Game Changer Awards are designed to fill a glaring gap-a lack of recognition of people who are truly transforming ideas into action and improving lives in Asia," Asia Society President Josette Sheeran said.
"Our inaugural honorees represent an extraordinary range of geography and achievement. What they share in common are vision, passion and proven impact, wherever and, however, they happen to be changing the world."
In a statement to NBC News, education activist Malala Yousafzai said, "I salute my fellow honorees and everyone committed to making the world a better place. If we want change, we must be the change."