#EgyptRejoices - unemployment, poverty, illiteracy and sexual harassment
Egyptian graphic designer Medo Ismail has launched an ironic counter-campaign to the Egyptian government's official 'Egypt Rejoices' hashtag, which was meant to celebrate the opening of the "new" Suez Canal.
2 min read
07 Aug, 2015
The original government-sponsored hashtag was meant to praise the new Suze canal mega-project [Medo Ismail]
An Egyptian graphic designer has taken aim at a state-sanctioned hashtag being used to celebrate the opening of the "new" Suez Canal, which highlights the true face of modern Egypt.
Medo Ismail's counter-campaign uses mock-up posters, which have been shared online, stating facts and figures that show the high-levels of poverty, inequality, and unemployment in Egypt.
Cairo coined the #EgyptRejoices hashtag to encourage Egyptian Twitter users to celebrate the "miracle" mega-project in the Sinai Peninsula launched by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
This second waterway runs parallel to the existing Suez Canal, which links the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.
Ismail thought that an ironic counter-campaign could highlight some of Egypt's most pressing social and economic issues under the Sisi regime.
"Egypt rejoices for two million street children" read one image.
"Egypt rejoices its 25.2 percent poverty rate, a 13.4 percent unemployment rate, a 26.1 percent illiteracy rate, 6.2 trillion Egyptian pounds of debt, 31,123 political prisoners, 7,048 people killed in the revolution and 64 percent of woman facing sexual harassment.”
The campaign also sarcastically called on Egyptians to show great delight for the rubbish in the streets, overcrowded public transport, high-levels of domestic violence and cancer rates.
It also "celebrates" slums, unfair internet pricing, forced disappearances, the world's highest hepatitis C rates and an average per capita income of just $12.
Many of the comments praised Ismail's pictures but others were more critical.
"Really? Instead of trying to make the best out of the worst situation and focus on the positives... you choose to be bitter and negative? Shame on you!," said one Facebook user.
Medo Ismail's counter-campaign uses mock-up posters, which have been shared online, stating facts and figures that show the high-levels of poverty, inequality, and unemployment in Egypt.
Cairo coined the #EgyptRejoices hashtag to encourage Egyptian Twitter users to celebrate the "miracle" mega-project in the Sinai Peninsula launched by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.
This second waterway runs parallel to the existing Suez Canal, which links the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea.
Ismail thought that an ironic counter-campaign could highlight some of Egypt's most pressing social and economic issues under the Sisi regime.
"Egypt rejoices for two million street children" read one image.
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| Egypt rejoices for two million street children [Medo Ismail] |
"Egypt rejoices its 25.2 percent poverty rate, a 13.4 percent unemployment rate, a 26.1 percent illiteracy rate, 6.2 trillion Egyptian pounds of debt, 31,123 political prisoners, 7,048 people killed in the revolution and 64 percent of woman facing sexual harassment.”
The campaign also sarcastically called on Egyptians to show great delight for the rubbish in the streets, overcrowded public transport, high-levels of domestic violence and cancer rates.
It also "celebrates" slums, unfair internet pricing, forced disappearances, the world's highest hepatitis C rates and an average per capita income of just $12.
Many of the comments praised Ismail's pictures but others were more critical.
"Really? Instead of trying to make the best out of the worst situation and focus on the positives... you choose to be bitter and negative? Shame on you!," said one Facebook user.
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