We Yemenis have seen a lot of bad days – but we are all Yemenis, and we are awaiting a day of change. This day will fortify our peaceful revolution and show the rest of the world that we are really a dignified and distinctive people when compared with other parts of the Arab world that have been liberated and tasted the joy of freedom.

Indeed, we were able to defeat the stereotypes that haunted us throughout our peaceful revolution – the stereotype and the image that our “Mr Ex president” had painted and tried repeatedly to sell to us and the world: that we are a ticking timebomb ready to explode.

We proved to ourselves – before we proved him dead wrong – that we were unbroken by his provocations and that we will preserve our uniqueness and distinctiveness and let our minds guide our hearts in accord with the famous saying, that we are the people of wisdom. Indeed, it is a day of distinction because we can exhibit the characteristics that we possess. We decided from day one that the revolution would be peaceful, and that we would stay the course despite all the killing, lies, rumors, propaganda and the deaf ear that the world lent us. We extricated the world’s perceptions of us and made it to listen to who we really are; the world has been able to see who we truly are and has been allowed to see our revolution as the jewel of the Arab Spring.

The Nobel Peace Prize honor for Tawakul Karman came late, but when it arrived it came with a consensual recognition of our revolution by the free world.

Now that we have won the battle, the question should be: will we win the war of change in Yemen and accomplish all the declared objectives and goals of our revolution?

Our revolution has been a success – internally, locally, and internationally. But the achievement of every goal and objective has not yet happened, so we must attain them progressively and without frustration or provocation.

Anyone who has lost interest in our peaceful revolution and who wants to disturb or distort this day should be aware that they are standing against what they earlier believed in and fought for; they must remind themselves to avert unwise actions that would cause their sacrifices during the revolution to be for naught.

I will be blunt and ask the Houthis and the Southern Movement to think over their choices wisely and to be a part of this great day.