Voices from Tahrir Square

Airs Sunday, January 29 at 7:00 p.m. Voices from Tahrir Square, a sound-portrait of the people's revolution in Egypt, for the anniversary of the January 25 - February 11, 2011 uprising. In this one-hour special, participants in the people's revolution in Egypt give first hand accounts of their historic 18 days in Tahrir Sqaure and discuss the challenges they face in a post-Mubarak Egypt. Voices from Tahrir" features recordings made in the square by reporters and citizen jounalists from around the world, including Daniel Finnan of Radio France Internationale and Matthew Cassel of Just Image.org.
     In a collaboration with the award-winning portrait photographer Platon, Human Rights Watch interviewed dozens of activists and ordinary people who helped drive the protests and who are trying to shape their country’s future. The New Yorker published a portfolio of Platon’s photos, along with the interviews, in "Pictures from a Revolution."
     Heba Morayef, Cairo-based researcher for Human Rights Watch, who filed regular iPhone-audio reports live from Tahrir Square, hosts this comprehensive collection of interviews, live music, and sound recorded at the protests. Listeners will hear labor union leaders, musicians, human rights workers, street cleaners, and social media activists.
Among the voices in this hour: (See Photos Above)
■ The Singer of the Revolution", Ramy Essam, whose songs and Tahrir Square performances became rallying cries -- and who was tortured later by soldiers after Mubarak fell.
■ Video-blogger Sarrah Abdel Rahman, 23, known for her "Sarrah's World" YouTube commentaries, updating events at Tahrir.
■ Writer Nawal El Saadawi, often called the godmother of Egyptian feminism.
■ Alaa Al Aswany, novelist, and founding member of Kefaya, a grassroots group which had been calling for an end to President Mubarak's regime since 2004.
■ Jawad Nabulsi, shot in Tahrir Square, and blind now in one eye from a government bullet.
■ Laila Said, whose son, Khaled, was beaten to death by police in 2010.
■ Wael Ghonim, Google Marketing executive, whose Facebook page: "We are all Khalid Said" inspired and helped organize the mass protests.