Paper presented at the Mediterranean Research Meeting (MRM) 2012. European University Institute, Florence, Italy.

1. MEDITERRANEAN RESEARCH MEETING (MRM) 
21‐24 March 2012
WORKSHOP 1
YOUTH AND CITIZENSHIP IN A DIGITAL ERA
LINDA HERRERA & PETER MAYO
BUILDING POLITICAL WORLD OF EGYPTIAN
CHILDREN AND YOUNG GENERATIONS
IN A DIGITAL ERA
CHIARA DIANA

2. BUILDING POLITICAL WORLD OF EGYPTIAN CHILDREN
AND YOUNG GENERATIONS
IN A DIGITAL ERA
Drawings of Egyptian children some days after the 25th revolution 2011

3. ABOUT …
 Actors of Revolution(s):
Children and young generations
 Participation in Revolution:
Transnational Movement
 Revolution continues …
In the street …
On social networks and …
At school
 Theoretical points
 Open conclusive remarks

4. ACTORS OF REVOLUTION
 Children under 15 years old
In Egypt, According to the last census 2006, they represent 31.7%
of the whole of the population (Capmas 2006)
In MENA region, the combination of a signiPicant decline in child
mortality and the relatively slow onset of fertility decline led to an
increase in the proportion of children under 15 and it should
continue to grow (Assaad Ragui, Roudi‐Fahimi Farzaneh, 2007)
Figure =>

5. ACTORS OF REVOLUTION
Population Growth in MENA by Age Group, 1950-2050
Source: United Nations, World Population Prospects: the 2004 Revision (New
York : UN 2005). Quoted by Assaad Ragui, Roudi-Fahimi Farzaneh, 2007

6. TRANSNATIONAL MOVEMENT
 Transnational movement of Arab children in revolution:
Same dynamics could be identiPied in the different Arab countries
which experienced revolutionary events: children marching for
manifestations, striking up the strongest slogans of the revolution,
the same in every country, chanting phrases against regime,
accompanied by parents or somebody else (Filiu 2011)
Empirical data of videos and pictures from Tunisia, Libya, Syria,
Egypt show this common experience
Pictures and Videos =>

7. TRANSNATIONAL MOVEMENT
Yemen
Syria
Tunisia
Egypt
Libya

8. TRANSNATIONAL MOVEMENT
 Revolution in Tunisia (examples)
‐ Videos by Arte (French‐German channel)
http://videos.arte.tv/fr/videos
tunisie_la_revolution_par_les_enfants_de_l_ecole_primaire_d_hammam_lif_12_juillet_2011‐4033926.html (Interviewed
children in a primary school)
‐ Video on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewCrmZgakFQ (Children comment their drawings about revolution)
 Revolution in Syria (examples)
‐ Videos on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdQhqFep4aE&feature=related (Children demonstrate in Deraa)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCMMdBHPbU8&feature=related (Demonstration for Hamza al‐Khateeb, young of 13
years old arrested, tortured and killed by Syrian regime)
‐ Facebook page of Hamza al‐Khateeb “We are all the child martyr Hamza
al
Khateeb”
https://www.facebook.com/hamza.alshaheed

9. REVOLUTION CONTINUES
IN THE STREET…
 Revolution in Egypt
‐ Videos by Arte (French‐German channel)
http://videos.arte.tv/fr/videos/suleiman_abdel_hakam_egypte_20_mai_2011‐3917994.html (Suleyman, 6 years
old, talks about revolution)
‐ Videos on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsnPi9Km65A (Child, 5 years old, leads protests in Tahrir, chanting slogans)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3X1gQQlCKQ&feature=related (Girl child calls « the people demand the removal of
the regime » in Tahrir)

10. REVOLUTION CONTINUES
ON SOCIAL NETWORKS …
 Facebook Page
“Thawra ma3hash bita2a”
(Revolution without ID)
https://www.facebook.com
Thawra.ma3hash.beta2a
https://www.facebook.com
Thawra.ma3hash.beta2a
app_326083590761463
Movement of Egyptian children and
young people under 18 years old.
Some important points in declaration:
to provide their creative capacities for
the development of Egypt and
to disseminate their messages,
opinions
and remarks at the only condition that
don’t contract with religion values.

11. REVOLUTION CONTINUES
ON SOCIAL NETWORKS …
 Picture of Aya Mohsen’s twitter
account with Yousri Fouda (TV man
of « Akhr Kalam » )
http://twitter.com/#!/a_aya97
 Members of Thawra ma3hash
Bita2a in TV programme « Akhr
Kalam »
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=lP‐213N7oAU

12. REVOLUTION CONTINUES
AT SCHOOL…
 “Egypt’s School Students for
Change
movement”
‐ Call for general strike with university
students on February 11, 2011
 Videos by Asmae (French NGO)
http://www.lesenfantsdemahaba.comvideo.php?vid=9
(interviewed children in an Egyptian school)
 EDRAK Opinion poll of Egyptian
children

13. REVOLUTION CONTINUES
AT SCHOOL…
EDRAK “How to Make a Better Egypt” 6%
I don’t know
- Question: “what do you know about the revolution in Tahrir”?
- Answer: “our revolution was made because people were angry,
while FB was how they communicated”
people are angry 52%
42%
A Facebook
- Question: Did you go to Tahrir Sq. with your family or friends? revolution
- Answer: More than 1 out of 4 kids went to the Action zone
Almost ½ of the kids went to such landmark during or right after
27% Yes, during the revolution
53% No
20% Immediately after the revolution

14. THEORETICAL POINTS
POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
(Durkheim, Hyman, Percheron)
Forms during early years of life (10‐11 years old)
Creates political preferences
Family and social milieu contribution
Child isn’t a passive being
Acquisition of intellectual and practical skills
Application on Egyptian / Arab children

15. OPEN CONCLUSIVE REMARKS
A quotation of Kamel Al-Janzuri who, in a public speech last January, said : “we are
glad for what our young generation is doing for the Revolution, but children aged
12-13 years old who threw stones in order to destroy walls of governmental
institutions, could not be considered as a real theer (revolutionary)”.
- Who is the real theer?
- Could it be possible to give a definition of “theer”?
- Could “age” play an important role for this definition?
- As “public space”, could school be a place where
making revolution?
Bring revolution into the school…