On 22 September the exhibition “Libya-Italy: joint activity in the field of archeology” was inaugurated at the Red Castle in Tripoli. Libyan Minister of Culture Mabruka Tugy Othman Aoki, Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Buccino and other authorities attended the ceremony. The exhibition demonstrates the strength of the cooperation between Italy and Libya in the field of archeology, which was achieved thanks to the joint work carried out over the past 70 years by archaeologists from both countries
“Culture is one of the fundamental factors for the stability of any state, since it gives the individual the ability to understand political and social situations and to act on them. Culture has an important influence because it pushes towards the development, improvement and regulation of people’s lives and their mutual relations,” said Ms. Othman Aoki in an interview for Formiche.net, recalling the strong historical and cultural ties between Rome and Tripoli.
The exhibition is a unique opportunity to learn more about the sites and monuments that are the protagonists of this intense collaboration, a press note from the Italian Embassy in Tripoli explains. The event also inaugurates the “Cooperazione in mostra” initiative, a series of three exhibitions inspired by the three regions of Libya: Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, and Fezzan.renaica e Fezzan.
Local schools are at the heart of the initiative. In fact, students can visit the exhibition until the end of December, when it will be transferred to Benghazi. The event, strongly supported by the Italian Embassy and the Department of Antiquities of the Libyan Republic, is funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and organized by MedA – Ancient Mediterranean Foundation, with the participation of all the Italian archaeological missions present in Libya.
“Archeology can be a peaceful instrument of cooperation and positive interpenetration between our countries” said Luisa Musso, Director of the Archaeological Mission of the Roma Tre University in Libya and President of MedA Foundation. Thanks to tourism, Prof. Musso added, “archeology has become a significant resource for the local economy.”
The inauguration of the exhibition also coincides with the resumption of conservation works in the Mithras tomb, a Roman underground grave located in the center of Tripoli, which houses part of the frescoes used to decorate the funeral crypt. Professor Musso, in coordination with the Central Institute for Restoration (ICR), coordinates the conservation work. In addition, Italy will soon activate specialization courses designed for the technical staff of the Libyan Department of Antiquities, with a focus on underwater archeology, the conservation of mosaics and the management of archives.
