UN General Assembly
2014

great people of Egypt, who have made history twice in the past few years: first, when they revolted against corruption and despotism and claimed their right to freedom, dignity and social justice; and then when they held fast to their identity and, energized by patriotism, rose up against exclusion, refusing to succumb to the tyranny of a faction which, in the name of religion, put its narrow interests before the interests of the people. Those are simply snapshots of the defining moments Egypt has witnessed recently. They are only milestones in the longer journey that Egyptians, fuelled by their dreams and aspirations, have embarked upon, towards a better day and a more prosperous future. The world is starting to grasp the reality of what happened in Egypt and to understand the circumstances that drove Egyptians to intuitively take to the streets to rebel against the forces of extremism and darkness that, once in power, undermined the foundations of the democratic process and national institutions and sought to impose a state of polarization in order to break the