Libyan Anniversaries, Public Holidays, Festivals & Tourist
Events
Festivals are large celebrations with plenty of food, drinks,
dance and music. In one ancient Egyptian festival in the 12th century BC, over
11,000 loaves of bread and nearly 400 jars of beer were made available to the
public. Original festivals and feasts were part of a larger ritual belief, largely
determined by lunar or solar cycles, in relation to natural seasons. When grains
germinate and produce more grains, year after year, humans thankfully reacted
with owe and admiration in order to guarantee the following harvest. Most Ancient
festivals were religious, while others were royal, like the Libyan-Egyptian Sed
festival which celebrated the thirtieth year of the Pharaoh's rule. Ramesses
III established his own festival to celebrate his victory over the Libyans who
attempted to regain control over the conquered land. Today, most festivals became
automated and occur according to a fixed day of the year, regardless of the position
of the heavenly bodies or the period they supposed to celebrate.
Anniversaries & Official Holidays
Description:
Liberation Day: 23 October 2011:
the day the National Transitional Council (NTC) declared Libya
liberated from the rule of Gaddafi.
Date:
23rd of October 2011
Description:
Day of Mourning: 26th of October: a mourning day in commemoration of those
who lost their lives during the Italian occupation.
Date:
26th October
Description:
Eid Al Fitr: (The Break-Fast Feast): 3 days: end of the holy
month of Ramadan (the fasting month), marked by visits to the mosque and
the homes of all friends and families, wishing them a happy Eid. All children
and young people wear new clothes and receive new presents (toys and money).
Date:
3 days after end of Ramadan (date shifts with lunar calendar)
Description:
Eid Al Adh'a (The Sacrificial Feast): the second most important
feast is the sacrificial feast, which comes after the Haj or pilgrimage.
Date:
4 days after end of Haj (pilgrimage): date shifts with lunar calendar.
Festivals
Ghadames International Festival
is normally held in October, but dates can
vary each year. In 2006, for example, the Festival was held in the month of November.
It is a colourful event in which people gather to feast, sing and dance. A celebration
of local Tuareg culture and traditions. The festival is expected to start with
an opening ceremony on the first day; followed by exhibitions of traditional
industries on the second day and then music and dance shows at night. The third
day would include Mehari races and introduction to Tuareg life. However,
the festival is mainly held by the residents of the old city, who appear to have
an issue with the Tuareg living outside the city. The Tuareg then went on to
set up their own festival, named the Tuareg Festival, which will be held on the
2nd of September. This means that there are two festivals in Ghadames.
Date:
2011
October 2011: (next year)
For the first time in the festival's history the organisers have announced the dates for the next 15th festival. On the closing day of this year's festival (the 24th of October 2010) the organisers have announced that next year's festival will be held on the:
14th of October 2011
15th of October 2011
16th of October 2011
This is the first time that we have the future dates confirmed at the closing
day of the festival, and hopefully the confusion is over, for good. However,
2011 proved to be different too, as Libya was plunged into war, and so the festival
never took place.
Date:
2010
October 2010:
The latest confirmed information we have regarding the Ghadames Festival this year (2010) states that the festival will be held between the 22nd and the 24th of October 2010:
22/10/2010
23/10/2010
24/10/2010
Temehu shall not be held responsible for any loss or inconvenience
as a result of this published data. We are trying to keep up with the constantly
changing dates and our information is hereby given to the best of our knowledge.
It would be very convenient if the festival organisers stick to one fixed date
every year, but unfortunately it seems that they like messing up the dates every
single year.
Date:
2009
October 2009:
There are conflicting reports regarding the dates for this year's festival in Ghadames. In addition to the 17th of October and the 23rd of October, we were given an earlier date by the organisation in charge of Ghadames Festival. They say the festival will be held on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th of October 2009, and that they will be able to confirm the dates two or three weeks before the event. Please return to this page around that time for the latest.
The latest information we have about Ghadames Festival(s):
A one-day private festival by the sand dunes on 02/09/2009
The Tuareg Festival on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of October (2,3,4/10/2009)
The original Ghadames Festival on the 23rd, 24th, 25th of October (23,24,25/10/2009)
Update
22 September 2009
We have been informed by the organisers of Ghadames festival that the dates for the main festival have been moved forward to: 29th,30th and 31st of October 2009. Please note that we are providing this update as is and we are not responsible for its accuracy.
The latest information we have:
29th,30th and 31st of October 2009. (29,30,31/10/2009)
Ghat Festival
Description:
Ghat is a Tuareg oasis, situated in southern Libya, very
close to Algeria and Niger. The Ghat Tourist Festival is normally
held near the end of December (29 to 31 December), and lasts
for three days. It is an important festival
where Tuareg tribes from Libya,
Algeria and Niger, and tourists,
meet and celebrate the Tuareg
traditional culture, folklore and heritage and explore handicraft exhibitions of traditional industries.
The
Tuareg's best travel companion,
the camel, plays an important
role in the festival.
A unique opportunity to experience the Tuareg way of life and find
out about this enigmatic people.
The first Ghat festival was held on the 30th of December 1994.
Date:
29, 30, 31 of December
Update:
New Date: November 2010:
The head of the Ghat Festival Committee has announced that the Ghat festival will now take place in the month of November. The reason for the change was that a number of students participate in this cultural festival and that the old date coincides with their exams.
Germa Arts, Heritage and Tourism Festival
Description:
The Germa Arts, Heritage and Tourism Festival is normally held in the month of February, and is organised by Wadi el-Hayat Municipality.
Date:
February
Nalut Spring Festival
Description:
Nalut Spring Festival,
as the name suggests, was established to revive and promote
the local culture, traditions,
industries and arts as part of Libya's
sacred heritage. Nalut Spring Festival is normally held in late
March (29th of March), and lasts for 3 days. The festival begins with lighting
a flame and the opening ceremony, followed by a parade of local schools and folk
groups, before various performers entertain the guests with traditional music
and dance at night.
The first Nalut Festival
took place in 1975, but then the event seemed to attract the enmity of the government
as they accused the Berbers of "separatism" and all that, and therefore
the second Nalut Festival scheduled for 1976 never took place until 2005. The
Arab media station Alhurra Channel hailed the event as a new beginning for the
Berbers under Gaddafi's government and remarked that what before attracted the
death penalty has become a public event in which the Berbers celebrated their
Tamazight culture without any fear of persecution.
Being on the main route to
Ghadames the festival has attracted a number of foreign visitors and tourists,
in their way to the desert sites of Acacus and Waw Nnamous, and in fact the festival
became so popular that many tourists come to Libya specifically to visit the
festival, as they did visit the Berber festivals of Ghat and Ghadames. The following
video shows Alhurra's coverage of the festival.
The Goals of Nalut Festival
Presenting the traditional Berber heritage of Nalut and Nafousa
Mountain.
Encouraging local voluntary work among the young generation.
Preserving and restoring the Berber archaeological sites of
Nalut.
Reviving the native Libyan culture and engaging the
new generations to participate in preserving Berber culture.
Encouraging and promoting local tourism.
Work towards establishing an International festival to attract
tourists from around the world.
Encouraging the revival and preservation of traditional Berber
industries and crafts.
Date:
March (around the 29th of the month).
Tripoli International Tourism Expo
Description:
The first Tripoli International Tourism Expo (T.I.T.E.) will be held in Tripoli from 12th - 15th of May 2008.
Date:
12 May
Zuwarah Awessu Festival
Description:
Awessu was originally a sea ceremony held in the town of Zuwarah,
in west Libya, probably in association with Sea-wroship. The Berbers of Zuwara take into the sea, before
sunrise, purify themselves, their animals, their wool garments
and blankets, and release some of the accumilated sins into the salt. Then leave the sea and feast by the beach for the remaining
of the day.
The festival has become a commercial
festival, where the purpose of the ceremony has disappeared
and was replaced by a music festival, which sometimes
takes place, and at other times it does not.
For more information about this, see our
Zuwarah
page.
Date:
August
Derj (Daraj) Tourist Festival
Description:
Derj Tourist Festival for Arts and Heritage is normally held
in the month of September, and is organised by the Ghadames Municipality.
Derj Tourist Festival for Arts and Heritage is normally
held in the month of September, and is organised
by the Ghadames Municipality. But in 2008
the festival was held in the month of December. The
festival feature shows of traditional music, traditional
crafts and exhibits of local culture and heritage.
Please visit the Derj Festival website for more information
(in Arabic): seederg.com
Date:
usually in September: (but in 2008, the festival was
held during the middle of December).
Date Harvest Festivals
Description:
Date Harvest Festivals are held in various parts of Libya during the month of October.
Date:
October
Kabaw el-Gaser Tourist Festival
Description:
el-Gaser Tourist Festival is normally held in the month of October, in Kabaw, Nafousa Mountain.
Date:
October
The Green Mountain International Tourist Festival
Description:
The al-Jabel al-Akhdar International Tourist Festival is normally held in the month of October, in Shahhat (Cyrene).
Date:
October
Other Sahara Festivals
Festival In The Desert
Description:
The Festival in the Desert began in 2001 after Tuareg
fighters abandoned their guns for the guitar. The
festival is a 3 day international music event, celebrating
Tuareg culture and way of life. The festival
takes place in Mali.
Most of the festival's attendees are Tuareg nomads who arrive
on their dignified camels from all over the Sahara. A truly
fantastic opportunity to hear and experience Berber music
at its best.
The festival comprises about 45 acts, embodying traditional
and contemporary music from all over Mali and from neighbouring
countries, like Niger and Mauritania.
Visit official website:
festival-au-desert.org
Date:
5-11 January 2009
Date:
7, 8, 9 January 2010
Festival On The Niger
Description:
Festival on the Niger is a unique 4-day music festival, which will be held in
Segou, by the banks of the River Niger, also in
Mali, at the end of January 2009. Segou is the capital of the ancient Bambara
kingdom, and is the region of traditional music and dance. The festival program
features traditional and contemporary music, dance, tales, legends, masks, huge
puppets, traditional crafts expositions, and sculpture and jewellery.
The theme of the festival this year is
"
Environmental Solutions
".
Visit official website:
festivalsegou.org
Date:
January 29 - February 1, 2009.
International Festival of the Sahara at Douz
Description:
The International Festival of the Sahara at Douz, in
Tunisia, is a 4-day music and dance festival, celebrating
the culture of desert at the heart of the
Tunisian sahara, in the small Berber oasis town of Douz,
where palm trees outnumber humans by 25 to 1.
The activities include horse races, camel fights,
rabbit chases, a visit to Douz Museum, sand skiing,
go-karting, balloon rides and shopping in the local
traditional market.
Visit official website: festivaldouz.org.tn
Date:
25-28 December (as of 2008): the dates change
to avoid clashing
with Ramadan.
