Editing Ahmed Zewail (section)

==Political work==
In a speech at [[Cairo University]] on June 4, 2009, US President [[Barack Obama]] proclaimed a new Science Envoy program as part of a "new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world."<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Thomas|first=John Meurig|date=2019-12-30|title=Ahmed Hassan Zewail. 26 February 1946—2 August 2016|journal=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society|volume=68|pages=431–453|doi=10.1098/rsbm.2019.0040|doi-access=free}}</ref> In January 2010, Ahmed Zewail, [[Elias Zerhouni]], and [[Bruce Alberts]] became the first US science envoys to the Muslim world, visiting Muslim-majority countries from North Africa to Southeast Asia.<ref>{{cite web|author=Pellerin, Cheryl|title=First U.S. Science Envoys Begin Work in Muslim-Majority Countries|date=16 February 2010|url=http://www.america.gov/st/scitech-english/2010/February/20100115082753lcnirellep0.1611902.html|publisher=America.gov|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100226074643/http://www.america.gov/st/scitech-english/2010/February/20100115082753lcnirellep0.1611902.html|archive-date=26 February 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>[[File:Ahmed_Zewail_(2010).jpg|alt=Ahmed_Zewail_(2010)|thumb|241x241px|Zewail in 2010]]When asked about rumors that he might contest the [[Egyptian presidential election, 2011|2012 Egyptian presidential election]], Ahmed Zewail said: "I am a frank man... I have no political ambition, as I have stressed repeatedly that I only want to serve Egypt in the field of science and die as a scientist."<ref>{{cite news|title=Obituary: Envoy to science|url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/NewsQ/17029.aspx|newspaper=Al-Ahram Weekly|date=4 August 2016|access-date=9 August 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919195122/http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/NewsQ/17029.aspx|archive-date=19 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|publisher=Chemical Physics Letters|title=Obituary: AHMED HASSAN ZEWAIL (1946–2016)|url=http://www.journals.elsevier.com/chemical-physics-letters/news/obituary-ahmed-hassan-zewail-1946-2016|access-date=9 August 2016}}</ref>

During the [[2011 Egyptian protests]] he announced his return to the country. Zewail said that he would join a committee for constitutional reform alongside [[Ayman Nour]], Mubarak's rival at the 2005 presidential elections and a leading lawyer.<ref>{{cite news|title=Egypt: Zewail returns, credible post-Mubarak figure|url=http://www.ansamed.info/en/egitto/news/ME.XEF12253.html|newspaper=[[ANSAmed]]|date=1 February 2011|access-date=5 February 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004035107/http://www.ansamed.info/en/egitto/news/ME.XEF12253.html|archive-date=4 October 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Zewail was later mentioned as a respected figure working as an intermediary between the military regime ruling after Mubarak's resignation, and revolutionary youth groups such as the [[April 6 Youth Movement]] and young supporters of [[Mohamed ElBaradei]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Fahim, Kareem|title=Military Offers Assurances to Egypt and Neighbors|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/world/middleeast/13egypt.html|access-date=12 February 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 12, 2011|author2=Kirkpatrick, David D.}}</ref> He played a critical role during this time as described by Egyptian Media.