Cairo to Connecticut: Hangout with Sharif Abdel Kouddous

The Pulitzer Center's education office this week hosted a Google Hangout between Cairo-based journalist Sharif Abdel Kouddous and 9th graders at Staples High School in Westport, CT.

Sharif, a recent Pulitzer Center grantee, spoke about the origins of the civilian dissent in Egypt, the disillusionment of a largely youth led protest movement, and the body and soul of both the fallen regime and the paternalistic rule that filled the void.

"[The revolution] was about young people, not much older than you guys, left with no future, not much opportunity for work, no hope," he said.

Talking about the events that have shaken up the region turned out to be a good primer for the questions students had about the the Arab Spring.

"Once the barrier of fear had been broken," said Sharif, cItizen's were no longer afraid to demand justice.

Protestors hoped to work together and lay the foundations for successful states. "There was ecstasy in fighting together for change," he said.

"Humor is still the most effective weapon," added Sharif.

Check out Sharif Kouddous' reporting on the Arab Spring here.