Egyptian revolution anniversary: Art and imagery mark the day it all started

Egyptian embassy celebrates the day when Egypt stood up against the dictatorial regime of Hosni Mubarak.

ISLAMABAD:

The Egyptian embassy held a reception and art exhibition on Wednesday to celebrate the first anniversary of the Egyptian revolution.

Diplomats and members of the expat community gathered in the Egyptian embassy’s lawns to mark the day when Egypt stood up against the dictatorial regime of Hosni Mubarak, with a presentation showing the massive demonstrations that led to the fall of the regime. A moment of silence was also observed for those who died at the hands of Mubarak’s supporters.

Egyptian Ambassador Said Hindam spoke about the role of youth and social media in toppling the regime.

Senate Chairman Farooq Hamid Naek said that all nations and civilisations went through turbulence in history, but what sets great nations apart from others is the will to fight back and prevail: something that Egypt has accomplished.

He said that full credit goes to common Egyptians who participated in the revolution. “It proved that the power of ordinary people can change destiny. The real challenge is to then sustain the change,” he said.

After lunch, the main hall of the embassy was opened, where guests were welcomed by a display of the works of numerous Pakistani artists, including Mohsin Shafi, Ayub Wali, Zaira Ahmad, Rabeya Jalil, Imran Mudassar and Atif Khan. This is the first exhibition hosted by the ambassador, who in a recent interview with The Express Tribune promised to continue the trend of promoting Pakistani artists with bimonthly exhibitions. “We will hold more exhibitions and showcase more [Pakistani talent],” said Hindam.

Ayub Wali’s sculpture of a cracked eggshell, representing women’s liberation in Pakistan, was the centrepiece of the hall. Wali explained that his work purely reflected the women of Pakistan and their struggle since 1971. “I have done great research and I believe that a broken eggshell speaks for itself,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2012.