SEKEM, 13. Februar 2011 Dear Friends, On 11th February we were privileged to witness a historical event, which is sure to be found in future History textbooks as a major milestone in the history of Egypt. Within the past 60 years, three Presidents governed the country: Gamal Abdel Nasser, Anwar Sadat und Hosni Mubarak. The rule of these Military Generals resulted in the nation becoming one of the poorest in the world and being looked at as a developing country. Shown by the long and great history of this country, by our own experience with the SEKEM employees, and today by the incredible initiative and perseverance of the Egyptian youth and what they have achieved now, there is much more potential here. In the recent, rather gloomy decades without an inspiring present, people in Egypt were guided by old values, clinging to the pyramids and temples, and the incredibly rich, ancient history of the country. The most recent developments now finally made way for the creation of new values for the present, to leverage Egypt’s huge potential that has gone wasted for such a long time. This can be made possible only through a holistic and sustainable approach, going far beyond a purely materialistic understanding. SEKEMs work has always been guided by this approach, and we are confident to have had some part in making the recent events possible. We contributed to the rise of a new level of awareness in the Egyptian society through more than 30 years of holistic work for development and education. There is now a new spirit of taking on individual initiative and responsibility, instead of resignation – this was the foundation for the revolutionary movement, which not just wished for a different future for Egypt, but is actively taking a stand. SEKEM aims to show new ways towards a free and democratic, peaceful, and fruitful future for Egypt. To find these ways and to contribute to shaping them will now be our first priority. We would like to thank you from our hearts for all your support, your continuing interest and companionship, and your encouraging voices for our work – without these, the successful work and development of SEKEM would not have been possible. In our common efforts and led by the wisdom of the spiritual world, we hope now to find together the right and timely way towards the future ahead. Yours sincerely, The SEKEM Community