What a difference a year makes…
Once again it’s time for our highly anticipated annual Men’s Issue, featuring the ‘Men we Admire’ in 2011. And this year, due to the remarkable events of the past eight months, we have a truly fascinating issue; with men who have captivated our attention and made a real difference.
Our cover star is one of Egypt’s biggest post revolution media stars, the star anchor of ONTV’s Akher Kalam (The Last Word) talk show, Yosri Fouda. During the 18 days after January 25th, Fouda and his colleagues were camped out at their studio, helping the nation unravel the dramatic events unfolding around them. Suddenly, because of their honest coverage and accurate journalism, ONTV went from a being the pet project of businessman Naguib Sawiris to the ‘station of the revolution’. And with this new status, Fouda emerged as the channel’s shining star; watched by millions every night and eagerly discussed daily by thousands on Twitter. As you’ll see in my exclusive in depth interview ahead, this is quite a feat for a man who describes himself as ‘very private’ and never courted fame. His career story is intriguing, but his personal views are even more fascinating. Be sure not to miss his first cover story and most personal interview to date...
There are so many men we admire in this issue, but none courageous than the indefatigable historian and activist George Ishak. As the leader of Egypt’s first vocal opposition movement Kefaya, he called for change at a time when brutality and jail were the consequences for doing so. However, Ishak and the members of Kefaya pressed on and gained more and more influence. And when the events of January 25th unfolded, they were in Tahrir Square, encouraging the new generation to rise up and demand change. It is hard to quantify how much we owe to Ishak and the Kefaya movement, but without the courage of the first person to stand up to injustice many uprisings would never take place. Personally, it was an honour meeting Ishak and witnessing his charisma, optimism and energy firsthand. And it was even more of an honour when he told me how my father’s book Wasiyati Li Beladi (My Will for My Country) inspired his movement. Our exclusive interview was carried out by my friend Dr. Tamer Fawzy, a long-time admirer of Ishak, who sat with this pioneer to uncover the real story behind Kefaya’s origins and their vision for the future. A must read for all Egyptians…
Our ‘Men We Admire’ theme continues with one of the most active (and recently controversial) men in the New Egypt, Professor Amr Hamzawy. An internationally respected academic who worked abroad and returned to Egypt at the end of 2010, Hamzawy took part in the revolution from day one and has had quite an impact. Not only is he now a popular columnist in Al Shorouk newspaper, he is also the founder of the new liberal political party Masr El Hureyya. As one of the many Egyptians who studied and worked abroad now helping rebuild the country, Hamzawy is an inspiration for what our future may hold. He is the first to acknowledge the path ahead is very challenging, but as my mother Samia Farid Shihata found out in her interview, his optimism is infectious and his determination to push for change even more so. Oh and he also discussed his recently published declaration of love, which you won’t want to miss!
Our features on admirable men continue with the likes of the ever popular TV personality Moataz El Demerdash; the pioneering scientist Dr. Salah Arafa; the rising singing sensation Hamza Namira; the groundbreaking team behind the movie Tahrir 2011: The Good, The Bad & The Politician, and many more. It’s impossible to do them all justice in this limited space, but I urge you to take time to read more about their diverse and innovative contributions on the pages ahead. We’ve also got our annual ‘power list’ in this issue; this time with a twist, as we focus on the emerging poltical players and activists influencing Egypt’s future. And trust me, this is an informative compilation even seasoned political analysts will find intriguing.
As you will see, we worked incredibly hard this month to make our content accurate, engaging and most importantly, inspirational. Here’s to a brighter future…
My Best Regards
Yasmine Shihata
Founder & Editor in Chief
Enigma Magazine
Email Yasmine Shihata
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