Tahrir Pilgrimage

I'm finding it really difficult to start this post and put together the words to describe what it was like for me to experience Tahrir (Liberation) Square yesterday. In truth I'm fairly certain that I won't be able to adequately describe what it feels like to be in the middle of Tahrir. When I say it felt as though I was making a pilgrimage to some kind of holy place indeed I mean it fully.

Despite Mubarak having left some time ago, Tahrir is still very much alive with revolutionary spirirt. Activists are still putting up tents in the middle of the Square, well aware that there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of the revolution's goals, and they insist that all of their demands have yet to be met. From their tents hang signs with manifestos and lists of their demands, caricatures of Mubarak and the regime, commemorations for the martyrs of the revolution.

Surrounding the inner circle of the Square are stands of all sorts: people selling tea for a pound, nuts, falafel sandwhiches, fruit, popcorn, sweets, water and pop. Several boys wander throughout the Square and the surrounding area with three small plastic white cups of paint - red, white, and black - offering to paint your hand or face with an Egyptian flag or a heart. I was tempted but noticed only children had really done so. Figures! People sell red, white & black headbands, Egyptian flags big and small, plastic and cloth, flag pins, I <3 Egypt t-shirts, laminated cards that hang from many taxi rear-view mirrors with the picures of martyrs, and mock license plate signs that say "25 January" in Arabic. Traffic still flows around the circle, and one must cross the many lanes to get to the heart of it all. But this is constantly happening as people come and go from the Square, so it is surprisingly very safe and easy to do so with some bravery, creativity and confidence - that next Peugot won't hit you, right?

Tahrir Square is very much this kind of festival-like atmosphere that families come to see and be a part of, where people sing and dance in celebration of their country and revoltion. The sense of pride and nationalism is overwhelming and permeating throughout the Square. And yet perhaps what striked me the most was the contined ferver for change and the dialogue that is happening within the Square. Everywhere you look there are groups of people in discussion - be it heated or casual, humorous or intense - on the political, economic, social situation in their country and the way forward. Of course I couldn't understand everything that was being said, but one doesn't have to speak Arabic to recognize and appreciate that clearly Egyptians from all walks of life are together in this Square, debating and sharing ideas and opinions on the things that matter most to their country. I couldn't help but feel absolutely amazed and humbled by this. I have never in my life witnessed or experienced anything like that in the United States. Undoubtedly there is much we can learn and continue to learn from the revolution here in Egypt.