Many Cairenes celebrated the New Year at an unprecedented gathering for Muslims and Christians in Tahrir Square, Khaled Dawoud attended Defying many fears after a long and bloody year tens of thousands of people marked the beginning of 2012 in Tahrir Square. They spent New Year's Eve chanting and singing together, setting fireworks and releasing balloons in the sky and taking part in a candle-lit vigil to commemorate those killed during the 25 January Revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak after 30 years in office. "This is the best New Year party I have ever attended," said singer Ali El-Haggar, one among many performers who took part in the celebration. "With all this enthusiasm, our revolution cannot fail. We are not just celebrating the New Year, we are celebrating our freedom." Many of those who decided to celebrate their first year without Hosni Mubarak as president in Tahrir had been sceptical the event would run smoothly. Exactly a year ago an explosion had rocked the Two Saints Church (Al-Qidissayn) in Alexandria, killing 21 people and injuring dozens. Amid fears a similar attack might take place this year, and amid the lax state of security that currently prevails, youth groups that took part in the 25 January Revolution had announced that they would organise "popular committees" to protect churches alongside the police and army. Tahrir and nearby streets were also the scene of some of the worst clashes between the army and protesters in recent weeks, leaving nearly 60 dead. Gamila Ismail, an ardent opponent of Mubarak's rule, together with other public figures and youth groups such as the 6 April Movement, exerted tremendous efforts to make the event a success. They negotiated with the street vendors who have become a fixture in Tahrir Square since Mubarak's ouster nearly a year ago and recruited young men to organise the traffic. The street vendors, selling mainly food and drinks, have long refused to leave the Square and have clashed repeatedly with protesters when attempts were made to limit their stalls to certain areas. But on Saturday they agreed to clear the area in front of the Mugamaa complex to make way for a temporary stage. Ismail, who narrowly missed winning a parliamentary seat in the first round of the People's Assembly elections, insisted that there should be no partisan element to the event and that the only slogans raised be those confirming unity among all Egyptians. That was difficult to maintain, particularly when Rami Essam took the stage. Essam, dubbed the Revolution's Singer, encapsulated the spirit of the three-week popular revolt with his song Erhal (Leave), directed at then president Hosni Mubarak. This time round Mubarak's name was replaced by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF), and the crowd repeated after Essam "Down, down with military rule". It is a sign of the deterioration of relations between the youth groups that kick- started the revolution and the generals who succeeded Mubarak that the very people who once shouted "the army and the people are one hand" are now demanding that the army officers responsible for the deaths of nearly 80 people over the past three months, mainly in clashes in front of the TV building (Maspero) in October, in Mohamed Mahmoud Street in mid-November and a month later in front of the Cabinet's Office at Qasr Al-Aini Street, face immediate trial. Emotions boiled over when the mother of Mohamed Rashed, murdered on 28 January, the Friday of Anger, took to the stage and recited a poem including -- in her own words -- "a message from heaven from all the martyrs killed during the revolt against Mubarak's regime". The message was loud and clear: "Continue the revolution, never give up justice". That poem was greeted with chants calling for Mubarak and his security henchmen to be punished for their crimes. Half an hour before midnight there was hardly a place to stand in Tahrir yet the crowd managed to clear a path when Ismail announced that hundreds would be joining from the nearby Protestant Church of Qasr Al-Dobara after finishing their service. They arrived holding candles in their hands, carrying pictures of the dead and Egypt's flag, and were greeted with chants of "Muslims, Christians are one hand." A veiled woman standing close by had tears in her eyes as she repeated the slogan. "This is the spirit that must prevail among Egyptians following Mubarak's removal and so many bitter sectarian clashes," she said. Qasr Al-Dobara Church had turned the forecourt of its premises into a field hospital during last month's clashes in front of the nearby Cabinet Office. Sufi singer Sheikh El-Tuni performed traditional chants, leaving the crowd clearly moved by his deep voice and the simple rhythms played by his band. He was followed by Qasr Al-Dobara's choir which performed several hymns. They were later joined by a number of Coptic Orthodox priests who delivered their good wishes to the Egyptian people. One of the funniest moments during the festival came when a bride and a groom suddenly appeared among the crowd close to the stage. Obviously excited to celebrate her wedding with such a huge crowd the bride switched into belly dancing mode as soon as she reached the stage though the choir was singing a hymn. The organisers rushed to the bride to explain that she was dancing along to a Christian religious song. She stopped immediately and instead started shaking hands with the priests who had filled the stage. At midnight the crowd held hands, fireworks lit the sky and one of the first slogans of the 25 January Revolution -- "Bread, freedom and dignity" -- was reprieved. After one more hour of songs performed by Ali El-Haggar Ismail appealed to the crowd to "leave to your homes in peace" and they did. "I never thought I would see a day like this in my life," said Lobna Ali as the evening was drawing to a close. "We Egyptians never had a street celebration like this. Now we are like New York, London and other cities. We have a square in which we can celebrate freely." A man standing nearby agreed, but confessed he had many conflicting feelings. "This is the revolution square, the freedom square and the martyrs' square," said Yasser Ahmed. "Yes, I'm happy we are celebrating our freedom, but also deeply sad that so many young, beautiful people lost their lives after the revolution, also in Tahrir Square."
