Ahead of the first democratic elections in more than 40 years in Libya, the Almost Dawn in Libya (ADIL) photography project, in partnership with International Medical Corps, is hosting a series of exhibitions throughout the country in an effort to support peace and the post-conflict rebuilding process.
Comprised of a series of four exhibits, the ADIL project features images from the frontlines of the conflict by world-renowned photographers. With the exhibit in Misurata already underway, the project will host its opening in the nation’s capital, Tripoli, on July 11 at the Tripoli Art House. ADIL founder André Liohn hopes to use the exhibitions as a visual tool to foster reconciliation and rebuilding in a country still affected by the aftermath of civil war.
“Photography is an extremely valuable communication instrument because it is universally accessible and understood and it bridges socio-economic and linguistic barriers,” says Liohn, winner of the Overseas Press Club of America’s 2012 Robert Capa Award. “In the aftermath of a civil war, photography can support people’s struggles in dealing with the painful past and in designing a shared vision of the future.”
During the exhibitions, ADIL and International Medical Corps will work to foster dialogue among local agencies and community leaders. International Medical Corps has been on-the-ground providing lifesaving health services in Libya since the outbreak of conflict in February 2011. Because many who fought in the war, as well as civilians who witnessed the conflict first-hand, are still struggling to cope with emotional trauma, International Medical Corps is prioritizing mental health and psychosocial support services and training for local health care workers. The ADIL project aims to promote healing among affected communities throughout Libya with additional exhibitions planned for the eastern city of Benghazi and Zintan in the remote Western Mountains region.