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NEW EGYPT AUC Community Share Insights NEW ERA and Experiences As the Country Embarks on a New Beginning

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NEW EGYPT AUC Community Share Insights NEW ERA and Experiences As the Country Embarks on a New Beginning AUC TODA Y Spring 2011 Members of the NEW EGYPT AUC community share insights NEW ERA and experiences as the country embarks on a new beginning From Twitter to Tahrir • The Soul of the Square • New Egypt 101 “Today, The American University in Cairo is one of the most important institutions in one of the most remarkable cities in the world at one of the most consequential moments in its history.” — President Lisa Anderson, The American University in Cairo AUC is the home of liberal arts, as well as entrepreneurial and innovative graduate education. Both AUC and AUCians will play a leading role in the creation of the new Egypt. Be a part of this change. Support The AUC Annual Fund. www.aucegypt.edu/giving/ways 8 9 ’ b e h a R - l E k i f a R Contents AUC alumni capture the revolution through photographs Page 24 10 FACULTY INSIGHTS 28 PAST THE PROTESTS: A CALL TO Faculty views on the revolution and the way forward CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AUC students engage in clean-ups and neighborhood watches 16 AROUND THE WORLD IN 18 DAYS Reflections of alumni in different parts of the world 30 ALUMNI IN THE MEDIA Alumni broadcasters and journalists relay what it is like to be 18 FROM TWITTER TO TAHRIR on the fast lane Tweets by Gigi Ibrahim ’11 solicit international attention 35 FORECASTING CHANGE 20 E-REVOLUTIONARY SPARKS CHANGE AUC publication makes early predictions about the revolution Wael Ghonim (MBA ’08) and his call for change 36 SERVING THROUGH THE STORM 21 THE SOUL OF THE SQUARE Security guards at AUC Tahrir Square demonstrate courage Ahdaf Soueif (MA ’73) writes from the heart of Tahrir 38 MEMOIRS OF A MOTHER 22 WITNESSING HISTORY UNFOLD Rania Zaki ’97 documents the revolution in a diary to her son International students at AUC relay their experiences during the uprising 40 DOCUMENTING HISTORY University on the Square initiative preserves the collective 23 NEW EGYPT 101 experience of AUCians during the revolution AUC introduces new courses to address the evolving situation 42 AROUND THE WORLD 24 THROUGH ALUMNI LENS Alumni meet in various countries Alumni document the revolution in pictures 43 LOYAL FOR LIFE AUCIAN 26 ACTING IN THE INTERESTS OF JUSTICE A new initiative to keep alumni connected to AUC Alumni actors and actresses take part in the protests 48 AKHER KALAM 27 PAST GLORY, PRESENT HONOR Tunisian alum Ghalia Gargani ’99, ’03 has big dreams for Ethar El-Katatney ’07 revives her pride in being Egyptian Egypt, her homecountry and the Arab world On the cover: AUC Tahrir Square bore witness to the uprising that brought about the historic change in Egypt, photographed by Sean Graham AUC TODA Y Editor’s Notes Spring 2011 Volume 19, No. 2 An Unexpected Turn of Events few weeks before the January 25th Revolution, the magazine was The American University in Cairo is a nonprofit private institution devoted to A set to carry entirely different stories. However, as the revolution providing English-language liberal arts broke out and gained momentum –– even before the toppling of the education to serve Egypt and the Mubarak regime –– we knew that the magazine content had to be Middle East. overhauled to reflect current events. Editor in Chief Redoing a magazine after it was almost ready to go to print is Dalia Al Nimr normally frustrating, but in this case, it was an enjoyable experience –– an unexpected yet welcome turn of events. Working on different stories Designer under the theme of New Egypt, New Era was exceptionally pleasing Sherif Mekky because we were given the chance to not only write about the Writers revolution and the dawn of a new beginning for Egypt, but also the Ghaydaa Fahim and Madeline Welsh contributions of AUC community members to the uprising that changed Egyptian history. From AUC’s Board of Trustees to students and alumni Advisory Board Magda Hayek ’72, ’76, ’94; Adel El-Labban to faculty and staff to security guards, all were –– and still are –– ’77, ’80; Hanzada Fikry ’78, ’81; Nayera involved in shaping this country’s future. Fadel ’94; Islam Badra ’98; Raghda El In this issue, you will read faculty insights about the revolution and Ebrashi ’04, ’07; Dina Basiony ’08 the way forward for Egypt (pages 10 - 15), alumni in the heart of AUCToday is published three times events (pages 18 - 21, 26 - 27), alumni in the media (pages 30 - 34), a year by The American University students and their involvement in post-revolutionary clean-ups in Tahrir in Cairo. and elsewhere (pages 28 - 29), a mother’s diary to her son during the revolution (pages 38 - 39), the experiences of international students We welcome all letters. Submissions may be edited for space and clarity. Please send all who stayed in Egypt during the uprising (page 22), new courses that correspondence to: have been introduced at AUC to reflect the change in Egypt (page 23), the bravery of security guards at AUC Tahrir Square (page 36), the AUCToday dreams of a Tunisian alum for the Arab world (page 48) and lots more. The American University in Cairo AUC Avenue The revolution and the profound change it has brought onto Egypt P.O. Box 74 has undoubtedly made us all proud. What adds to this sense of pride is New Cairo 11835 that it is the youth who instigated such change –– youth who were Egypt commonly accused of being passive and or AUCToday politically inactive. Tragically, many have lost The American University in Cairo their lives, and numerous others were severely 420 Fifth Avenue, Third floor injured –– all for the sake of Egypt seeing the New York, NY 10018-2729 light. And it did USA Tahya Masr (Long live Egypt)! tel 20.2.2615.2405 (Egypt) [email protected] www1.aucegypt.edu/publications/auctoday 2 AUCTO DA Y Spring 2011 InBox I am writing in response to your article in your latest issue, In your recent article on CIMUN in the recent edition “Modeling Success.” I am the secretary-general of Cairo of your magazine, there is an omission. In the section on International Model United Nations (CIMUN) for the Nadia Younes Memorial Fund, the year 2010 - 2011. Your article came to us as a you mention all the guest lecturers truly pleasant surprise. If you are interested in that have spoken at this event save detailing your published article, I would love the one. The 2008 guest lecturer was Sir opportunity to further illustrate many aspects of Jeremy Greenstock. CIMUN 23 years later. CIMUN has now expanded to seven councils and an organizing committee of Nahed (Younes) Fouad, Egypt more than 100 members. Other than CIMUN, we also organize Junior CIMUN for high school Ed – Apologies for this oversight. Sir students, and this year, it was the largest junior Jeremy Greenstock is former British conference on campus and in CIMUN history. ambassador to the United Nations and special envoy for Iraq Finally, I would like to thank you once again for placing our from 2003 to 2004. His lecture, titled “Lessons from Iraq,” organization in the spotlight the way you did. It was a needed coincided with the official inauguration of the Nadia Younes reminder of how much we have accomplished and how far we Conference Room at AUC New Cairo. have come. President David Arnold is a leader of Noureen Ramzy, Egypt excellence in every Secretary-General of the Cairo International Model United Nations sense of the word. He is a presidential I opened the Summer 2010 issue leader who will of AUCToday and read with always be amazement one of the claims remembered by made in AUsCenes. You mention alumni at AUC, and that for the first time in AUC in many parts of the world, for his determination, for being history, a visually impaired student the know-how communicator, and for his intelligence in was granted an MA degree in understanding the culture and needs of the region, thus TEFL [Teaching English as a creating an important world educational institution. How Foreign Language] from AUC. can we forget the following? This is not the case at all. 1) The president’s exceptional ability in the transition of I taught in the MA TEFL program from 1977 to 1979 and proudly AUC to the new campus taught a completely visually impaired student who graduated in 1979 with 2) The president’s efforts in uniting and involving alumni an MA, completing his thesis. This was before the days of computers. He with their alma mater, creating a big AUCian family all over had to struggle mightily to grasp the visual nature of the linguistic aspects the world. Being an alumna living in Geneva with my of the course work. He also had to navigate the busy streets of downtown husband, who represents his country at the United Nations, Cairo to walk to campus from his residence. Proudly, he went on to I will never forget the president’s sincerity, impressive Stanford University in California, where I believe he earned a PhD. personality and kindness in our alumni gatherings. Many of Unfortunately, I don’t remember his name, but I do remember he was us felt like crying aloud, “I am an AUCian.” from Palestine. 3) Last, but by no means least, the president’s wife, Sherry, Please correct this oversight and grant him the honor he is due. the adorable and warm partner who shared all the responsibility, silently and successfully. Her warmth and Georgette Ioup, United States commitment crowned her the queen of our hearts. AUC faculty 1977 - 1979, 1990 - 1992, 2000 – 2001 I would say au revoir to our dear President Arnold and Sherry.
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