The Robert L. Harness Lecture Series presented by Hopewell Cultural National Historical Park.

Since the February 2011 revolution that ousted Gaddafi, Libya has been struggling with the challenge of building a new country. The current perilous condition of the Libyan state now endangers a remarkable and varied range of cultural heritage dating from the prehistoric, Graeco-Roman, and Islamic periods, including five UNESCO World Heritage sites.

In the context of the many challenges facing the new Libya, it is not surprising that cultural heritage struggles for recognition and support from both the government and the population at large. Much has to be done to re-engage the Libyan people with their past, a history that was neglected for political reasons during the Gaddafi regime. Members of the Department of Antiquities (DOA) in Libya, the organization charged with protecting all Libyan sites older than 100 years, continue to collaborate with their international colleagues to help meet these needs.

Two representatives of DOA, Munsif N.K. Awad and Naser Ali Abdulsalam Alhrari, will be at Hopewell Culture NHP as part of an exchange program arranged by the National Park Service and supported by the U.S. Dept. of State. They will outline future prospects for protecting the cultural heritage of their country during an informative lecture