How will Egyptians Celebrate 25 January?

As 25 January approaches, Egyptians are conflicted about how to celebrate the first anniversary of the revolution that forced Hosni Mubarak to resign from his office as president for life. The Al-Ahram Weekly of January 12 - 18, 2012, summarized the views of the leaders of the various factions.

Safwat Abdel-Ghani, a leading member of the Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya, said, "On 25 January we will celebrate our victory at the ballot box and the peaceful hand over of power from the military to the newly elected parliament."

Ahmed Abu Baraka, a leading member of the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), the Muslim Brotherhood’s political wing, told Al-Ahram "Of course there is a lot to celebrate on 25 January. The people are full of joy because they are now masters of their own destiny. They have elected their own representatives for the first time in our history."

Representatives of 54 liberal, leftist, and radical parties and coalitions released a statement announcing that they plan to hold demonstrations across Egypt to press for "the fulfillment of the key demands of the 25 January Revolution, on top of which is handing over power to a civilian government and president."

According to Tarek El-Kholi, spokesman of the 6 April Movement and Democratic Front, "The key demands of the revolution have not been met yet. What we will see in less than two weeks will be the launch of a new phase of the ongoing revolution." The new phase will not be violent.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) has announced that it will be holding its own celebrations to mark the day at Cairo Stadium and in several other cities. Well known singers will participate and there will be fireworks and martial music

As we see it, the Egyptians have more freedom to choose the way they will celebrate than they have had before. Perhaps it is this freedom to choose they are really celebrating!

We wish them a peaceful day of remembrance that is also a day to consider how far they have come and most importantly the steps that are necessary in their transition to democracy.

Cairo and All of Egypt is a Safe Place to Visit!

Since their January 2011 Revolution, the western press has published and republished images and stories about the demonstrations in Tahrir Square that have created the image that Egypt is a dangerous place and one to be avoided.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

We want to tell people that downtown Cairo is safe. Yes, it is bustling, noisy, full of traffic and pedestrians trying to get where they want to go - a typical megacity. But we found it to be quite safe.

We walked widely in the streets of the downtown, including around Tahrir Square, and never felt in danger. The sidewalks were busy, but we never felt threatened by the people or the merchants in the shops we passed. Many people said "Welcome to Cairo!" as we walked by. A few people offered us assistance and sometimes tours but in most cases, a simple "No, Thank you!" to a more insistant person was more than adequate.

We were welcomed in many local restaurants and enjoyed good food and gracious hospitality.

One proviso: Cairo is very much a male oriented society, so western women walking alone may experience greater hassling than we, a couple, did. Wearing a scarf probably helps. Most everywhere, we saw headscarf clad Egyptian women walking alone or in pairs, or sitting in cafes.

If you are considering an Egyptian Holiday, this is an ideal time to come! You will be welcomed.