Two Libyan teenagers are teaming up to . . .[restrict]organise the country’s Earth Hour celebrations for March 31.
In mid-March, nineteen-year-old Mohammad Nattah contacted Earth Hour Global about coordinating Earth Hour in Tripoli. At the same time another Libyan teenager, Muhammad Bugashata, created the Earth Hour Libya Facebook group, with around 100 “Likes”.
Neither was aware of each other’s efforts until Earth Hour put them in contact with one another:
“Today I met Muhammad Nattah and what a great meeting it was,” Bugashata said. “We’ve formed a team, and I’m glad to tell you Libya is ready for Earth Hour 2012.”
The duo are planning Libya’s first ever Earth Hour event, which will see the lights switched off in the former King’s Palace, now the National Museum.
To help organise the event, Nattah and Bugashata have already enlisted the support of the Regiment Coast for Scouts and Guides, in cooperation with the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, the Environment Public Authority and Tripoli Local Council. The big switch-off party will be open to all people and civil society organizations. The duo hope for a crowd of more than 600 Libyans to turn up.
However, security concerns have already scuttled Nattah and Bugashata’s plans for the lights to be switched off in Martyr’s Square. But they remain optimistic. “It’s a bit difficult to organise such an event in a place that just got out of war, but we’re spreading the word and we’re getting really good feedback,” Bugashata said.
“Libya is not an exception of the world…we will switch off for the next generation.”
Andy Ridley, the co-founder of Earth Hour, said the young Libyans’ single visioned determination to do something for the planet in the face of enormous obstacles, is testament to their courage, passion, and the clever use of social media.
“For the first time in history, people have the power to unite behind a common purpose,” Ridley said. “This inspiring story emerging from Libya shows that if you believe in something strongly enough, you can achieve amazing things.”
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