Cultural Heritage in Libya

The ancient Roman amphitheatre of Sabratha, one of Libya's five Unesco World Heritage sites.

Lybian Embassy

News Release Date: June 23, 2015

Contact: Dr. Bret Ruby, 740-774-1126

The Challenges of Protecting Cultural Heritage in Libya 

Date: Thursday, July 2nd

Time: 7:00 p.m.

Location: Mound City Group Visitor Center

Fees: No Fees

Since the February 2011 revolution that ousted Gaddafi, Libya has been struggling with the challenge of building a new country. The current perilous condition of the Libyan state now endangers a remarkable and varied range of cultural heritage dating from the prehistoric, Graeco-Roman, and Islamic periods, including five UNESCO World Heritage sites. Three of these are Greco-Roman archaeological sites located on the Mediterranean coast—Cyrene in the east;Sabratha and Leptis Magna in the west. The other two World Heritage sites are the Islamic desert trading city of Ghadamès and the Tadrart Acacus, a massif in the far southwest of the country, that contains thousands of prehistoric rock-art sites, some dating as early as 9,000 B.C.

In the context of the many challenges facing the new Libya, it is not surprising that cultural heritage struggles for recognition and support from both the government and the population at large. Much has to be done to re-engage the Libyan people with their past, a history that was neglected for political reasons during the Gaddafi regime. Members of the Department of Antiquities (DOA) in Libya, the organization charged with protecting all Libyan sites older than 100 years, continue to collaborate with their international colleagues to help meet these needs.

Two representatives of DOA, Munsif N.K. Awad and Naser Ali Abdulsalam Alhrari, will be at Hopewell Culture National Historical Park as part of an exchange program arranged by the National Park Service and supported by the U.S. Dept. of State. They will outline future prospects for protecting the cultural heritage of their country during an informative lecture on Thursday, July 2 at 7:00 pm in the Mound City Group Visitor Center.

Visit the Directions page for maps and directions to the Mound City Group visitor center.  For more information or if you have questions, please Contact the park.