Libyan Municipalities Dampen Conflict Through Pride in Shared Identity

Libya's South is a region of rich cultural diversity, being home to several tribes with unique ethnic identities. Yet, this very attribute has been weaponized by armed groups and political entities to advance their interests. The weaponization of tribal and ethnic differences is a tactic enabled by the absence of a unifying identity, and by power vacuums that occur where local institutions and services do not meet the basic needs of regular people. 

To address this challenge, the USAID/Libya-funded Taqarib activity collaborated with partner municipalities in Libya's South to support a series of cultural festivals to bring together citizens from Tebu, Tuareg and Arab backgrounds to work with mayors and municipal council members and celebrate the unique heritage and traditions of a town, or a cluster of towns. 

Taqarib applied adaptive management and leveraged its relationships and networks with local stakeholders to work in close collaboration with mayors, municipal councils, local women and youth and CSOs throughout the conceptualization, planning and execution of the festivals. 

These festivals helped communities overcome tensions and fears that had been stoked for years by political rhetoric and power-driven actors. Having been conceived by the municipalities and supported by the project, the festivals channeled the will of citizens and civil servants in the South to join forces, transcend tribal differences and focus on galvanizing a durable sense of community. Further, the festivals  provided inspiration to non-partner municipalities who subsequently sought Taqarib's support with similar initiatives.