Today marks the second anniversary of Egypt’s historic revolution. The heady days of the Jan. 25 Revolution in Tahrir Square have given...
Today marks the second anniversary of Egypt’s historic revolution. The heady days of the Jan. 25 Revolution in Tahrir Square have given way to the challenges of establishing a democracy. As so many countries have learned, including the United States in its short history, the founding of a democracy is difficult and is not completed overnight. Egypt is experiencing the pains of establishing a new system of government and governing. The reality of a better Egypt may still be decades away, and there are many questions to be answered, but it is the hope for that bright future that sustains the men, women and children that continue to take to the streets and make their voices heard. The remarkable Egyptian women who make up the Bush Institute’s Women’s Initiative Fellowship Program give us reason for hope. They are using their talents, skills, and networks to help build the foundation of their country’s democracy. It is these women, and countless other Egyptians, who are standing together in the Square or in the streets to make sure their country’s future will be a viable one – one that affords all its citizens protection and rights under the law. Earlier this week, the United States celebrated the hallowed tradition of a peaceful transfer of power at the presidential inauguration. Hundreds of thousands of American citizens made their way from all corners of the United States to our National Mall in Washington, D.C., to be a part of history. In decades past, not unlike Tahrir Square, the National Mall has been a backdrop of protests against wars and marches for civil rights. And, even though the United States was blessed with an almost perfectly written constitution, it has taken nearly 200 years to live it out as it was intended. A fact that should give solace and hope to emerging democracies around the world. For Egypt, the world continues to hope for promising signs from one of the most influential countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. Our hope is that one day, not many years from now, Egypt will boast of a peaceful transition of power and a vibrant and successful democracy. Until then, we support the courageous men and women who are doing the hard work now for the hope of a better future.
This post was written by Charity Wallace, Director of the Women’s Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute.
