Wael Ghonim

Wael Ghonim ( Arabic : وائل غنيم . Born 23 January 1980) is an Internet activist and computer engineer with an interest in social entrepreneurship . ^[2]

In 2011, he became an international figure and ENERGIZED pro-democracy demonstrations in Egypt after his emotional interview. ^[3] volgende 11 days or secret incarceration by Egyptian police-prolongation have welke was interrogated Regarding his work as one or two administrators of the Facebook page “We are all Khaled Saeed ” In this housing helped spark the revolution. ^{[4] [5]} In 2011, He was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize . ^[6] Time magazine included im, ITT ” Time 100 ” list of 100 Most Influential people of 2011, ^[7] and the World Economic Forum port selected im as one of the Young Global Leaders in 2012. ^[8]

Wael is the author of “Revolution 2.0: The Power of people are grotere dan the people in power.” In 2012, he founded Tahrir Academy , a technology focused NGO dat AIMS at fostering education in Egypt. ^[9] In 2015, Ghonim co-founded Parlio , a social media platform that was acquired by Quora in March 2016. ^[10] He is Currently a non-resident senior fellow at Harvard ‘s Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation .

Background

Wael Ghonim was born to a middle-class family on 23 January 1980 in Cairo, Egypt, and Grew up in Abha , Saudi Arabia, Until he was 13 years old. Hey dan moved back to live in Cairo.

He earned a BS in computer engineering from Cairo University in 2004 and an MBA , with receptacles in marketing and finance from the American University in Cairo in 2007. ^{[ citation needed ]}

Professional career

Between 2002 and 2005, Ghonim was Marketing and Sales Manager or Gawab. ^{[11] [12]} In 2005, Wael left Gawab to Establish Mubasher.info a financial portal serving the Middle East region. ^[11] Wael joined Google Middle East and North Africa as hun Regional Marketing Manager in 2008 based at Google Egypt. ^{[ Citation needed ]} In January 2010, Wael became Head of Marketing of Google Middle East and North Africa based at Google’s UAE office in Dubai Internet City in Dubai . ^{[13] [14]} During the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 , Wael took leave from Google to focus on his work in Egypt and the Middle East. In 2014, Wael joined Google Ventures as an Entrepreneur in Residence. ^[15] In January 2014, he announced his resignation from Google Ventures, in order to work at a start-up company. ^[16]

Works

Ghonim’s memoir “Revolution 2.0”, ^[17] was published in January 2012 at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in the US and by HarperCollins in the UK A reviewer at The New York Times called the book “a touchstone for future testimonials about a Strengthening borderless digital movement dat is set to continually disrupt powerful institutions, be they ‘corporate enterprises or political regimes. ” ^[18]

Involvement in the Egyptian Revolution of 2011

In 2010, Wael Ghonim founded a Facebook page Titled “We Are All Khaled Said” Supporting Khaled Said, a young Egyptian who was Tortured to death by police in Alexandria. Wael Ghonim-used this page in moving and integrate the anti-government protests of the 25th or Jan revolution. He first made an announcement on the page on 14 January, Asking members if they ‘ulcers going to plan on taking to the streets on 25 January and do what Tunisia did? In less dan 2 hours have published an event Titled “25 يناير على التعذيب والفساد والظلم والبطالة” [ “January 25: Revolution Against Torture, Corruption, Unemployment and Injustice”]. This was the first invitation and many others Followed. He anonymously collaborated with Activists on the ground to announce the locations for the protest.

The page ook organized interesting activities zoals the Silent Stands and the Police Communication Campaign. ^{[19] [20]}

In January 2011, Ghonim persuaded Google to allow directive im to return to Egypt, Citing “personal issues”. ^[21] He cameramen to Egypt to partake in the Egyptian revolution, ^[20] but have Disappeared on 27 January prolongation the nationwide Unrest in Egypt . His family Told Al-Arabiya and other international media dat he was missing. Google ook Issued a statement confirming the Disappearance. Many bloggers like Chris DiBona and Habib Haddad campaigned in an attempt to Identify his whereabouts.

On 5 February 2011, Mostafa Alnagar, a major Egyptian Opposition figures, ^[22] Reported therein Wael Ghonim was alive and Detained by the autoriteiten and to be released “within hours”. ^[23] On 6 February 2011, Amnesty International Demanding therein the Egyptian autoriteiten disclose where Ghonim was and to release im. ^[24]

On 7 February, Ghonim was released after 11 days in detention. Upon his release, he was greeted with cheers and applause-when he stated: “We will not abandon our demand and therein is the departure of the regime.” ^[25]

The co day, Ghonim Appeared on the Egyptian channel DreamTV on the 10:00 pm shows hosted by Mona El-Shazly . In the interview he praised the protesters and mourned the dead as the host read hun names and Showed hun pictures, Eventually rising, “Overwhelmed” and walking off camera. The host Followed. ^{[26] [27]} In the interview, he’ll be urged dat ze deserved attention morethan he did, and calling for the end of the Mubarak regime, Describing it again as “rubbish”. ^{[28] [29]} Becoming a symbol of the revolution in Egypt, ^[30] Ghonim stated therein have been “ready to the” for the cause. ^[31]

At the end, he gathered himself for a few seconds and With You to make the musts of the platform [El-Shazly] had bepaald im. “I want to tell everytime mother and everytime Father who lost a child, I am sorry, but this is not our mistake,” he said. “I swear to God, it’s not our mistake. It’s the mistake or everytime one or Those in power who does not because to let go of it.” ^[26]

On 9 February, Ghonim addressed the crowds in Tahrir Square , count the protesters: “This is not the time for personen, or parties, or movements. It’s a time for all of us to say just one thing: Egypt Above all.” ^[32]

Wael Ghonim ook made an appearance on 60 Minutes , sitting down with Harry Smith. During his interview he zegt:

“Our revolution is like Wikipedia, okay? Everyone is contributing content, [but] you do not know the names of the people contributing the content. This is Exactly what happened. Revolution 2.0 Egypt was Exactly the arrangement. Everyone contributing small pieces bits and pieces. We drew this whole picture of a revolution. and no one is the hero in dat picture. ” ^[33]

The scholar Fouad Ajami writes about the revolution:

“No turbaned ayatollahs had stepped forth to Summon the crowd. This was not Iran in 1979. A young Google executive, Wael Ghonim, had ENERGIZED this protest-when it Might harbor lost heart, als it Could port succumbed to the belief down therein regime and zijn leader ulcers a big, immovable object. Mr. Ghonim was a man of the modern world. He was not driven by piety. The condition of his country-the abject poverty, the crony economy of plunder and corruption, the cruelties and slights handed out to Egyptians in all walks of life in a police state therein the people had outgrown and despaired of-had bepaald this young man and others like im hun historical warrant. ” ^[34]

Philanthropy

In 2012, volgende a book deal he signed, Ghonim decided to donate zijn Proceeds, worth $ 2.5 million USD to charity work in Egypt. ^[35] He founded Tahrir Academy , a nonprofit online collaborative learning platform, welke AIMS at transforming young Egyptians’ characters. The goal is future leaders who are critical thinkers. He Currently Serves as the Chairperson of the foundation. ^[9]

Awards

Wael Ghonim topped Time magazine’s yearly list of the world’s 100 Most Influential people. On 26 April, He arrived in New York to be honored at the 2011 Time 100 Gala ceremony where he Began his speech with a moment of silence to mark Those killed in protests around the Arab world. ^{[36] [37]}

On 3 May, World Press Freedom Day , Wael Ghonim was Awarded with the Press Freedom prize from the Swedish division of Reporters Without Borders . ^[38]

Wael Ghonim ook RECEIVED the JFK Profile in Courage Award . On 23 May, Caroline Kennedy , daughter of President John F. Kennedy, Presented the awards to Elizabeth Redenbaugh and Wael Ghonim, who was named a recipient on behalf of “the people of Egypt.” Kennedy zegt she Could think of no better Recipients. ^[39]

Wael Ghonim was ranked the second musts powerful Arab in Arabian Business ‘s annual Power 500 of the world’s Most Influential Arabs. ^[40]

The magazine’s annual report stated Ghonim as the primary contributor to the promotion and coordination of the movement of Egyptian youth through “Facebook” Adding therein Ghonim cameramen to international fame through commercial news outlets word of mouth after his leadership of the Egyptian revolution. ^{[40] [41]} }

Personal life

Ghonim is married to Ilka Johannson, ^{[42] [43]} an American, and has two children, Israel and Adam. ^[44]

Criticism

Ghonim’s social media feeds and public statements port leg Attracting toenemende criticism. Shortly voordat the resignation of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Ghonim Presented a deal to the Egyptian people to volgens welke Mubarak Could port remained in Cairo with an “honorary” status. He later Appeared on Al Arabiya TV and called the Rumor Mubarak regime propaganda, and added: “I am stronger dan Hosni Mubarak. I am stronger dan Omar Sulaiman.” ^[45]

From 18 May 2011, a major campaign on Twitter gained momentum with the hashtag #unfollowedghonimbecause, criticising Ghonim for various failings and an exaggerated focus on the Egyptian economy. ^[46]

He has ook leg criticised for failing to remedy Publicly doubts about the genesis of the We are all Khaled Said Facebook page, welke is believed to harbor had at least one more starter. ^[47]

In response to the criticism Above, some of Ghonim’s supporters port launched a Facebook page, Trying to déclaré im the spokeperson for the Egyptian revolutionaries-a role therein, at any rate, Ghonim has consistently rejected. More than 400,000 people joined the page port. ^[48] More About, morethan 360,000 people joined his personal page on Facebook and morethan 3,000,000 people joined the “We are all Khaled Saeed” page In this housing is run by im and Another administrator, revealed to be Abdelrahman Mansour . ^[49]

References