“I am excited at being chosen from more than 200 applicants to represent New South Wales (NSW) as an ambassador for the competition where I will do mathematics and science,” Budding poet Mariam Kashif told Daily Telegraph on Tuesday, September 28.

“Recently Islam has got some bad publicity though it is only a minority. I want to be a good representative of Islam.”

The 15-year-old Muslim student is the ambassador of the education games, which is an online global event hosted by Australian company, 3P Learning, and supported by UNICEF, Microsoft and Macquarie Bank.

“My parents migrated to Australia when I was young,” Mariam said.

“Australia has provided us with so many opportunities and I am thankful.

“I want to be an Australian ambassador and represent this country. It’s my country.”

Open to all schools and held every two years, the World Education Games (WEG) will be held from October 13-15 to mark World Literacy Day.

The World Maths day will be held on October 14 and the World Science Day on October 15.

Mariam’s passion for learning and education was the main reason behind naming her as an ambassador of the WEG, according to 3P Learning Australia CEO Andrew Smith.

“At 3P Learning we love learning and were searching for students across Australia that shared this passion with us,” Smith said.

“It is clear that Mariam feels the same about education as we do and will be an exemplary Australian ambassador for the World Education Games.”

Muslims, who have been in Australia for more than 200 years, make up 1.7 percent of its 20-million population.

In post 9/11-era, Australian Muslims have been haunted with suspicion and have had their patriotism questioned.

A recent national survey has found that a quarter of Australian population has a negative attitude towards Muslims, amid increasing racial attacks against the religious minority.

The survey found that people over 65 and educated to year 11 are the most likely to be highly intolerant towards Muslims, unlike young people, between 18 and 44, who have the least negative opinion.

Last February, an Australian Muslim woman was named the 2015 Queensland Young Australian of the year, in recognition of her work in leading a successful youth project for years.