The Egyptian Revolution by Omar Shalan, Egypt

On January 25, 2011 was the date of the greatest event that ever happened to me. It changed many things about my personality and my viewpoint. I am proud that I was one of the participants in the Egyptian revolution and I was in the sit-in at AL Tahrir Square. We sat until the departure of former President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak on February 11th, the days that are considered the best 15 days in my life. Despite the difficult events during that period: clashes with the security forces and thugs, the bloody scenes all over, the many shocking injuries, being blinded by tear gas, and sleeping outside, I somehow felt a sort of reassurance and security from which I didn’t know the source.  During this period I saw love and honesty that I had never seen in my  life before. AL Tahrir Square was transformed into the utopian city that Plato dreamed of.

There was no egoism, no lying, no hypocrisy, no hatred, we were equals. No one ate before making sure that everyone was eating.

I saw a young man sacrifice his life in a strange way, not for a better life for himself but for the lives of million others. For 15 days I did not see any quarrels. On the basis of ideological or ethics; the Christian next to the Muslim poured his ablution water to pray, and protected him while praying. I will not forget that woman who stood in the first row of the clashes without care, and no man around her said that the help of women is not permissible. These situations made me realize that we are the ones creating and deepening differences, but that we are also the ones able to create an atmosphere where all of us live in safety without worry.   Without this coexistence, we wouldn’t have managed within 15 days to bring down one of the most oppressive dictatorships in the Middle East.