The face of Egypt's revolution is going to be honored by one of the most recognizable faces in American history.
Wael Ghonim, the creator of the Facebook page that many credit with being one of the sparks of the Egyptian uprising, will receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.
“From a small county school district in North Carolina to Tahrir Square in Cairo, this year’s Profile in Courage honorees show us the importance of individual acts of conscience,” Caroline Kennedy, the president of the foundation, said.
The Google executive was dramatically detained by Egyptian authorities during a protest that led to the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak.
The scene was captured on YouTube and after pressure from outside sources, including Google, Ghonim was released and quickly became the face of the Egyptian revolution in the west.
He rallied protesters in Tahrir Square just hours after being released from jail, where he was reportedly beaten.
And since the ouster of Mubarak, Ghonim has done a series of media tours, including interviews on CNN and a Ted talk.
