It consists essentially of a compilation of photographs taken between the 1850s and 1960s, each followed by a short description. Beginning as a hobby, it has now become a significant piece of historical research taken from local archives and photographs volunteered by locals. It contains chapters on local landmarks and historical places, views of the environment and famous figures, but some of the most precious are photographs of everyday life showing leisure and sport activities, festivals, farming, work and education. It gives a very interesting look into the traditional ways of living which have now mostly been lost.
It contains hundreds of beautiful photographs, but I'm not putting any more online - those two were just to get the idea across.
Anyway, I was reminded of the countless vintage photos of Tripoli I've seen posted on Twitter and Facebook since liberation, and I thought it would be very exciting to channel some post-revolutionary energy into working on a similar project. By contacting older citizens as well as local and foreign archives a similar book could be put together on Libya over the last hundred years, showcasing our Arab and Amazigh cultures, traditional ways of life, landscapes and landmarks.
As a hard-copy book it would be a beautiful gift, showing our history and not only reflecting nostalgia for the past, but reminding people of their responsibility to help Libya great again. It could be sold around Libya, and all profits would go towards funding some of the projects run by our amazing and hard-working local NGOs.
The old Libyan photos are everywhere, and I've collected hundreds on my computer, but it's important to get them from primary sources and have permission to publish them. So if you or any family members have photos that you would like to contribute to the project, or if you would like to help, please contact me! ahmedgat1@hotmail.com
