Google executive says social networking was vital in Egyptian revolt

WAEL GHONIM, a Google executive who became a public voice in the Egyptian uprising, said that social networking played a vital role in the rebellion and will continue to do so in many other regions throughout the world.

Ghonim created a Facebook page called "We are all Khaled Said" in June of last year to condemn the killing of an Alexandrian businessman by Egyptian police. The web page became an important means by which protestors could organise demonstrations, including the monumental Day of Revolt on 25 January that saw tens of thousands of Egyptians flood the streets.

"You can't keep a dictatorship alive in the highly connected 21st century," Ghonim told guests at the Profiles in Courage award ceremony in Boston, according to Reuters. "The younger generation in the Arab world sent a strong message to every dictator."

However, he said the struggle for freedom in Egypt is not over yet. Former president Hosni Mubarak resigned, but he still faces charges of corruption and abuse of power, while the country has yet to see a full implementation of the reforms called for by the people.

Ghonim was awarded the John F. Kennedy Library's 'Profiles in Courage' award on behalf of the Egyptian people. The award, named after JFK's book of the same name, is awarded to people who stand up against oppression. The award was previously given to Leymah Gbowee, a peace activist who helped bring an end to the second civil war in Liberia, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan. In 2010 four US politicians received the honour.

"Wael's single act provided the spark for countless others, and a movement began to build," said Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the former US president and head of the JFK Library Foundation. "The people of Egypt used the power of citizen activism to break down barriers of isolation and fear."

The internet was so pivotal to the revolt that Mubarak's forces cut access to citizens in a futile attempt to suppress dissent. Google was able to get around the internet censorship by enabling a phone-to-tweet service.

Ghonim was seen by many as the figurehead of the revolution, so much so that he was detained for 11 days by Egyptian police during the protests, but in February he downplayed his role by saying that everyone contributed and that no one is the hero.

Ghonim was born in 1980 in Cairo. He joined Google in 2008, becoming its regional product and marketing manager for the Middle East and North Africa. In January 2010 he took the role of head of marketing for the same region and moved his office from Egypt to Dubai.

Time magazine also added him to its list of the top 100 influential people for 2011. µ