Celebrity Cruises has launched Celebrity Edge, its first new ship in six years and first new ship series in more than a decade. The naming ceremony brought together more than 3,000 guests, employees, crew members and students who were joined by the ship’s godmother, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai.

Yousafzai, who is now a student at Oxford University, is the inspirational co-founder of Malala Fund, which advocates for a world where every girl can learn and lead by investing in local education activists, holding global leaders accountable and amplifying girls’ voices around the world.

She discussed these issues before the ship’s crew and guests in a one-on-one interview with Celebrity Cruises’ president and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo. Commenting on the event, Lutoff-Perlo said: “I am so proud to have Malala Yousafzai as godmother of Celebrity Edge. Malala embodies our commitment to opening the world through education and gender equality. Seeing her aboard our ship sends a powerful message to our crew who represent over 70 diverse nationalities, and our guests who we sail all over the world.”

“We are honoured that Malala agreed to be the godmother of this ship, a role that reflects centuries of maritime traditions,” added Richard D Fain, chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Celebrity Cruises’ parent company. “We are especially proud because Malala’s example of relentless persistence and achievement is an inspiration to our crew, who have all worked so hard and made real sacrifices to build better lives for themselves and their families.”

Celebrity Edge will begin her inaugural season sailing alternating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean itineraries before transporting guests to the stunning vistas of the Mediterranean with a range of seven to 11-night sailings from Barcelona and Rome in 2019. Sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Edge will make her first maiden voyage on 9 December this year. Building on the momentum generated by Edge, the ship will be joined by Celebrity Apex in 2020, plus two additional sister ships in 2021 and 2022.

Watch the video of the naming ceremony below.