- Title: Success amid the ruins for Benghazi University students
- Date: 6th November 2016
- Summary: BENGHAZI, LIBYA (RECENT) (REUTERS) GRADUATES POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS AND THROWING MORTARBOARDS IN AIR GRADUATES OF THE FACULTY OF ENGINEERING WALKING TOWARDS BUILDING WITH FAMILY SIDE OF BUILDING DAMAGED DEBRIS FROM BUILDING SEEN ON GROUND VARIOUS OF FACULTY OF ENGINEERING DAMAGED DAMAGED LECTURE HALLS SEEN FROM THE OUTSIDE VARIOUS OF DAMAGED BUILDINGS GRADUATES TAKING PICTURES IN FRONT OF FACULTY BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FACULTY OF ENGINEERING GRADUATE, SAMIRA RABEH, SAYING: "I haven't stepped inside the university in around two years, and honestly when I went inside today I felt very sad. We consider this (university) to be a cultural landmark, and the place which had supported us for a while. All I can say is I blame those who have lost the sense of nationalism and humanity from their hearts, to destroy such a cultural landmark in this way." EXTERIOR OF UNIVERSITY GRADUATES WEARING CAP AND GOWN EXITING UNIVERSITY DAMAGED UNIVERSITY BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GRADUATE OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS, AMANY AL-AWAMY, SAYING: "Honestly I find it baffling, after seeing the extent of the damage that was caused to this university and the amount of waste that was left behind as a result of the war against terror in the campus. It's unfortunate what happened to us, in Benghazi, and especially in our university." VARIOUS OF LEFTOVER SHELLS AND LAND MINES INSIDE UNIVERSITY VARIOUS OF STUDENTS SEEN TAKING PICTURES NEAR DISCARDED SHELLS AND LAND MINES STUDENTS TAKE PICTURES OUTSIDE UNIVERSITY BUILDING MORE OF A DAMAGED BENGHAZI UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TAKE PICTURES WHILE STANDING ON DISCARDED BULLET CASINGS BULLET CASINGS SEEN ON GROUND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESPERSON FOR THE ZAWIYAH BRIGADE, MOHAMED AL-ZAWY, SAYING: "When we entered (the university) we found, as you can see, all this waste, which we started gathering every day from college campuses. You also saw the land mines, which we collected and disarmed from several college campuses and in hallways, where they were placed to stop any intruders." MORE OF DISCARDED WEAPON SHELLS ON GROUND VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF DAMAGED UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS
- Embargoed: 21st November 2016 12:54
- Keywords: Libya Benghazi university education students
- Location: BENGHAZI, LIBYA
- City: BENGHAZI, LIBYA
- Country: Libya
- Topics: Education,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA00157B2EDX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: It's a celebratory moment for students at Libya's Benghazi University as they mark the end of their studies.
Dressed in their gowns and mortar boards it hasn't been a straight forward learning journey for the students here.
In 2014, the university was damaged during clashes between members of the Libyan National Army and Shura Council of Libyan Revolutionaries, an alliance of former anti-Gaddafi rebels who have joined forces with Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia.
The once vibrant university was forced to shut its doors - staff and students were relocated to nearby schools to attend lectures.
The university is under the protection of the Zawiyah brigades, who had given the students permission to revisit the site for their graduation.
Assessing the ruins the new graduates speak of their pride, but also the sadness of seeing the destruction of a 'cultural landmark.'
"I haven't stepped inside the university in around two years, and honestly when I went inside today I felt very sad. We consider this (university) to be a cultural landmark, and the place which had supported us for a while. All I can say is I blame those who have lost the sense of nationalism and humanity from their hearts, to destroy such a cultural landmark in this way,'' said engineering graduate Samira Rabeh.
"Honestly I find it baffling, after seeing the extent of the damage that was caused to this university and the amount of waste that was left behind as a result of the war against terror in the campus. It's unfortunate what happened to us, in Benghazi, and in our university in specific,'' added Arts graduate Amany Al-Awamy.
The University of Benghazi was founded in 1955 and was known as the 'Libyan University'.
The building is now a wasteland for discarded weapons.
The Zawiyah brigades have been collecting discarded land mines, bullet casings and shells into the administrative building.
Spokesperson for the Zawiyah brigades, Mohamed Al-Zawy, said that militias placed landmines in hallways and around the campuses to stop intruders from approaching.
"When we entered (the university) we found, as you can see, all this waste, which we started gathering every day from college campuses. You also saw the land mines, which we collected and disarmed from several college campuses and in hallways, where they were placed to stop any intruders," he said.
The scars of the conflict are visible for all to see, but amid the rubble are the success stories of these Libyan students. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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