Lauding this year's Nobel Peace laureates Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said the two "remarkable" Asians give hope to people around the world struggling against exploitation and assured the world body's support to their "vitally important work".

Ban congratulated Satyarthi and Yousafzai in his remarks to the Asia Society Game Changer Awards here yesterday, noting that the awards celebrate an array of "remarkable" Asians.

The inaugural award has been instituted by leading educational and cultural organization Asia Society honouring "true leaders making a positive contribution to the future of Asia."

Ban said the world got a head start on the awards ceremony with the announcement last week that the year's Nobel Prize for Peace was being "shared by two remarkable Asians".

The UN Chief said that Satyarthi and Yousafzai "give hope to people around the world struggling against exploitation, discrimination and violence.