The sight of Dr Muhammad Mursi being presented as Ra'is al-Jumhuriyyah (President of the Republic) was something I never thought I would see, and regardless of the future course of Egyptian politics it marked a truly historic moment.
Events this year have opened the world's eyes to the struggles many ordinary people face in claiming even their most basic human rights. Throughout the Middle East and North Africa we have seen thousands of people push for change in the face of violent and often brutal repression.