Fifty years after his death, former Egyptian Gamal Abdel Nasser still lives in the memory of many Egyptians and Arabs. He was labeled as the ‘Last Arab’ and a symbol of resistance in the age of decolonization. Yet he was also a master in communication, using his charisma and powerful speeches to mobilize and even influence policies. “Irfa‘ ra’sak ya khuya” (lift up your head, my brother), is what Nasser used to say in speeches. He did not just address leaders and policy makers, but also the regular Egyptian, translating national and macro goals of nation-making into micro expressions for the local population. Here are a few memorable quotes and speeches by the former president: Suez Crisis Speech, 1956 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUYXy6UhQBI&t=48s “We feel that we are strong, we feel that the world has changed,” Nasser said following the invasion of Egypt in 1956 by Israel, the United Kingdom and France. This speech was particularly famous for its use of humor and direct insults against colonial powers, which was the first act of its kind for a leader of a new independent country. “They want to insult us? Well, we can also…
