This TED Talk features designer Gada Wally recorded live at TED Global 2017.

I come from Egypt, which is also called Omidonia, the mother of the world.

It's a rich country filled with stories of rebellion, stories of civilization and triumph and downfall,

and a rich religious, ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity.

Growing up in such environment,

I became a strong believer in the power of storytelling.

As I searched for the medium mood to tell my story,

I stumbled upon graphic design.

I would like to share with you a project

of how graphic design can bring the Arabic language to life.

But first, let me tell you why I want to do this.

I believe that graphic design can change the world.

At least in my very own city of Cairo, it helped overthrow two separate dictators.

As you can see from those photos, the power and potential of graphic design as a tool for positive change is undeniably strong.

Egypt 2011 revolution was also a grassroots design revolution.

Everyone became a creator.

People were the real designers.

And just overnight, Cairo was flooded with posters, signage, graffiti.

Visual communication was the medium that spoke far louder than words

when a population of over 90 million voices were suppressed for almost 30 years.

It was precisely this political and social suppression, coupled with decades of colonialism and miseducation,

that slowly eroded the significance of the Arabic script in the region.

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