CAIRO: Next Thursday will mark the 57th anniversary of the military coup d'etat by a group of young officers, commonly known as "The Free Officers, who revolted against King Farouk I in 1952. The chief objective of the 1952 Revolution was the overthrowing of the monarchy of King Farouk I and the establishment of an Egyptian Republic. The revolution was an undisputed turning point in Egyptian history; it reserved for itself a notable part in the nation s conscience, and radically changed the face of life in Egypt. Two days ahead of the revolution's anniversary, a random group of people from different walks of life were asked how they will celebrate this national occasion. While some reminisce about the revolution and celebrate it, others just view July 23 as a day off from work to relax. Abdel Ghany Barakat, 20, a student at the American University in Cairo, said, "I usually celebrate the 23rd of July by listening to patriotic songs by Abdel Haleem Hafez, and by reading books on the revolution to further educate myself. But this year, I'm going to celebrate it in a special way, by giving a presentation on the origins of the 23rd of July Revolution to a group of foreigners in a cultural exchange program. Hassan Abdel Naby, 70, a traffic officer in Giza, said, "I don't celebrate it, because the dire circumstances in which we live nowadays bring us no joy and nothing worthy of celebration. Islam El Mahalawy, a 25-year-old attorney, said, "It is a day off from work, but I don't celebrate it. Rafeek Joseph, 21, a student at Cairo University, said he does not celebrate the anniversary at all, but considers July 23 a day like any other. Rasha Abd El-Salam, 28, a translator, said she uses the day off to relax at home with her husband and children. Abdel Alim Mohamed, 50, retired, said, "My children and I talk about the revolution. I explain to them the main principles of this event, and we have a heated discussion on the accomplishments and setbacks of the revolution, and its impact on Egyptian life and politics. Eman Mohamed, a 21-year-old teacher, also said she celebrates the national holiday by staying in with her family. "I believe it is a good opportunity for families to get together and watch programs celebrating the event. Wafaa Osaman Labeb, 65, retired, said, "I just confine to listening to songs and watching movies that redeem the majesty of this era, but we, as a family, see it as a short vacation to relax.
