Ithaca College

Ramy Essam is an activist and singer, who rose to prominence as a "Voice of the Revolution" in Egypt in 2011. He is visiting Ithaca with The Clarke Initiative for Law & Development in the Middle East & North Africa and PCIM will host him on Tuesday February 19 at 3:30pm in Textor 103.

Ramy will perform and speak with students about his life, about current events in Egypt, and answer any questions from students. His sessions will be a mix of lecture, interview, live music and a Q&A.

More about Ramy:
Egypt’s rock musician Ramy Essam exploded into international fame and has often been referred to as the real voice of the Egyptian revolution in 2011. During the height of the uprising, he performed in front of millions of people in Tahrir Square, and his music became the soundtrack of a whole generation of his countrymen and women struggling for a better life and a more just society.

Ramy Essam is considered to be one of the loudest voices for the young generation in Egypt and it’s struggle for a progressive and modern society. He has become an international symbol of social activism and a beacon of uncommon bravery in the Middle East.

His song Irhal  (voted #3 song that changed history/Time Out London) in which he demands the resignation of then-ruler Hosni Mubarak, is referred to as the real anthem of the revolution.

But fame came with a heavy price. Ramy experienced brutal torture and arrests that were meant to silence his voice. His songs were banned and he was forbidden to perform publicly. He resolved to come out even stronger against oppression, saying “In the revolution I was born again. The struggle became the purpose of my life.”

Today Ramy lives in Sweden in exile where he continues to speak out as an ambassador of the Egyptian revolution with songs about gender equality, freedom, social justice, equity, health care, minority rights, education and peace.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation should contact Brandy Hawley at bhawley@ithaca.edu or 607-274-3590 as soon as possible.