An equestrian celebration in a western Libyan city has gone global this year, following a successful local launch last year.
The Zliten International Festival of Folk Horsemanship is one of several events that honor Libya’s strong horse-riding heritage, displaying traditional horsemanship skills, poetry performances, and handmade craftsmanship.
Crowds applauded as horseback riders paraded on horses decorated with bright, handmade saddles.The riders wore the classic white and black Libyan outfits.
Mustafa al-Jahawi, one of the event’s participants, said horsemanship is deeply connected to Libya’s cultural history and still holds meaning today.
“The festival carries a message of peace both within Libya and to the world, reminding us that Libyans, despite their differences remain one people,” he said.
Libya was thrown into turmoil after a NATO-supported uprising that removed and killed longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Since then, the country has been divided for years between rival governments in the east and west, each backed by its own armed forces and international supporters. Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbehiba’s government rules from Tripoli, while Prime Minister Ossama Hammad leads the eastern administration.
Noureddine Abu Sbeih, a Zliten resident, stressed that the festival allows Libyans to reconnect with their past while reshaping foreign perceptions of the country.He said it represents a pathway to Libya’s “heritage, traditions, and customs.”
Organizers added that neighboring countries Tunisia and Algeria also took part on the sidelines of the festival.
