LDC’s Support for a Community-Driven Initiative in Tripoli
In Tripoli, Dr Tarek Elgomati, LDC Chairman has personally supported a unique project that turns a once-unused space into a vibrant area for children and families. Designed by well-known Libyan architect Loay Burwais, Al Lamma community Center Tripoli (means gathering in the local language) initiative represents a culturally rooted and community-focused response to the urgent needs of children and families affected by years of conflict in Libya.
A Safe and Inclusive Space for Healing, Learning, and Creativity
Al Lamma is conceived as an artistic and educational center that provides a safe, inclusive, and stimulating environment where ideas, identities, and cultures can converge. The project aims to serve as a space for healing, creativity, and reconciliation—especially for children, who have been among the most vulnerable victims of the Libyan civil war. Through art, learning, and play, the center seeks to mitigate the psychological effects of conflict and support both personal and community development.
Seven Integrated Components Forming a Holistic Community Hub
The project consists of seven key components that together form a holistic development hub:
- Adventure Playground: A central, sculptural play structure built from local and recycled materials, designed to encourage play, co-creation, and parent-child interaction. Children contribute to its decoration, turning it into a living artwork.
- Outdoor School: An alternative learning space offering open-air educational activities that foster autonomy, curiosity, and self-paced learning outside traditional pedagogical constraints.
- Workshops: Creative and skills-based spaces where children and adults can explore art, languages, carpentry, agriculture, chess, and more within an enriching and interactive environment.
- Library: A calm and inspiring area promoting reading, research, and imagination, serving as an intellectual refuge for learners of all ages.
- Art Gallery: A dedicated exhibition space showcasing works by children, as well as local and international artists, encouraging cultural exchange and recognizing youth creativity.
- Amphitheater: A versatile outdoor venue for performances, debates, storytelling, and community gatherings, strengthening social cohesion.
- Café-Restaurant: A welcoming social space offering locally sourced meals and promoting informal interaction, dialogue, and community bonding.
Strengthening Community Resilience and Supporting Libya’s Future
Together, these components address the critical lack of safe, accessible cultural and recreational spaces in Tripoli and across Libya. Al Lamma project offers a structured, impactful, and sustainable response aimed at supporting the emotional, social, and creative development of Libya’s younger generations while contributing to broader community resilience and reconstruction.
