Wiki Loves Libya: Libyan initiative that documents the country’s heritage and introduces the world to its diversity

Through a volunteer initiative by members of the Wikimedia Libya group, the “Wiki Loves Libya” event was launched on February 23, 2026, to document and enrich content about Libya and highlight its cultural, geographical, sports, social, historical, and environmental diversity on Wikipedia and its sister projects.

Libya is a country of great wealth and heritage, from the ancient Roman, Greek, Phoenician and Byzantine civilizations to the local Arab, Amazigh, Tuareg, and other cultures. However, the online content regarding the country does not reflect this wealth. There are large omissions in the coverage of topics such as archaeological sites, physical geography, folk heritage and cultural and sporting achievements. That is what led us to organize this event towards one of the group’s objectives which is contributing to bridging the knowledge gap.

The event includes a variety of activities and runs throughout the year until the end of 2026. It also features Wikipedia training for beginners and a special competition for participants in these activities. We plan to organize a number of edit‑a‑thon meetings for individuals from various specializations to enrich Libyan articles with reliable and neutral sources.

The current activity consists of in‑person meetings in the city of Benghazi, during which we have worked collaboratively to create and develop several articles on Libyan content.

Benghazi Sessions: From Work to Editing

The in-person sessions were more than six and were held at the Mohamed Sasi Library at Barah Foundation for Culture and Arts in Benghazi during the holy month of Ramadan. The space turned into an open place for collaborative work. In our role as volunteers, we brought our skills in encyclopedic editing to the table, sought out trustworthy sources on the internet and in the library’s books, and tried to follow standards of neutrality and Wikipedia’s policies. Priorities were also set for articles to be created and/or improved.

المشاركون خلال إحدى الجلسات الحضورية في مكتبة محمد ساسي بمؤسسة براح، بنغازي.

A preliminary list of more than 250 articles

The immediate outcome of these sessions was the publication of a provisional list of over 250 proposed articles for creation and/or improvement in a variety of fields:

• Archaeological and historical sites: such as the Cyrene Cemetery, the Treasury of Cyrene, Ghat Fortress, the Ancient Mosque of Ghadames, the Arch of Marcus Aurelius, the Palace of Dugha, and a number of historic airports.
• Geography and environment: such as the Kalansho Desert, the Fezzan Basin, and the Gulf of Bomba.
• Cultural and folk heritage: such as traditional Libyan dishes – bazin, mathrudah, mbakbakah – as well as local customs and languages.
• Libyan sports: articles about players, sports clubs, and Libya’s participation in the Olympic Games and the Mediterranean Games.

Work is still ongoing following this initial launch, and we will soon move on to the next steps.

Those in charge of the current activity

In this editorial activity, the roles are divided between organization, coordination, content creation and review. Mohammad, Salema, Mustafa and Hazem all contributed to writing articles, reviewing sources and contacting specialists. The present team has experience in Wikipedia editing and community project management. We supported the planning and implementation process and ensured the face-to-face sessions were comprehensive and effective.

مصطفى، سليمة، محمد، حازم

Our Next Steps

Expanding the scope of work in terms of the number of contributors to the event, increasing the number of articles, and periodically updating the article tables throughout the duration of the event. Planning to work and contribute to creating Libyan content on Wikipedia’s sister projects. Also, working on creating and reviewing articles in other language versions of Wikipedia. Wiki Loves Libya is not merely a passing editorial activity; rather, it is a systematic and sustainable endeavor to place Libya on the map of free knowledge.