On day 14 of massive anti-government protests in Egypt, life returned to some degree of normalcy for Cairo's citizens, with certain banks and shops opening their doors once more. But, a throng of protesters remained in the city's main square, refusing to budge.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who the protesters want to leave office, instead called the first meeting of his cabinet since he re-organized the government more than a week ago. In a move to placate protesters, Mubarak and his cabinet announced a 15 percent raise for all government workers and pledged to allow greater freedom of the press.
Although the protesters in Cairo say they will not rest until Mubarak resigns, other Egyptians further from the protests say they would like life to continue peacefully, even if that means having Mubarak stay in power.
Although government and opposition leaders are meeting to discuss the road ahead for Egypt, protesters insist they will not accept any government controlled by the current regime.
Note: The first 2 minutes and 27 seconds of this video give an overview of what has happened in Egypt recently, while the rest is an in-depth report from the NewsHour's Margaret Warner.
Quotes
"This is what I always tell the -- the people in the square when I'm there. I'm saying, listen guys, we are like in the last part of the long, dark tunnel, the very last part. It's either we keep on our strength and courage and pass this remaining part of the tunnel, or we're going to be stuck here for at least 10 years." - Gameela Ismail, Women for Change
"The strategy now is kind of to leave the protesters in peace in Tahrir and for life around them to resume as normal, kind of to isolate them and ignore them in a way. And to ensure that there is no confrontation, so that -- that the movement fizzles out on its own." - Dina Shehata, AL-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies
"The most important thing about this is that life go on peacefully. Ninety percent of the goals are achieved." - Ahmed Abdullalim, musician
Warm Up Questions
1. What part of the world is Egypt in?
2. What have protesters in Egypt been calling for for the past two weeks?
3. What is a revolution?
Discussion Questions
1. Based on what you saw in the video, how do you think the protests in Egypt will come to an end? Do you think Mubarak will step down first, or will protesters give up first? Why?
2. If you lived in Egypt, do you think you would be happy with the changes Mubarak has made since the protests started? Why or why not?
3. Why might it be difficult for the protesters to keep momentum for their movement now that life is returning to normal in Cairo?
Additional Resources
Egypt's Uprising Has Characteristics of Past Revolutions
