Promoting Leadership and Activism of Youth (PLAY) for Peace in Libya

LIBYA - PROMOTING LEADERSHIP AND ACTIVISM OF YOUTH FOR PEACE

OVERVIEW

For more than a decade, Libya has been caught in a state of conflict with deep-seated divisions still prevailing in the country. However, the nationwide ceasefire in 2020 fostered hope for a more peaceful and democratic future. At this critical moment, it is essential for the youth to take a leading role in shaping a more inclusive, unified, and stable Libya. USAID's Promoting Leadership and Activism of Youth (PLAY) for Peace promotes local reconciliation efforts by bringing together young people from Misrata, Tawergha, Bani Walid, Zawia, and Sahl El-jfara —neighboring communities that have suffered from deep-rooted divisions and recurring violence— for positive interactions and to promote peace.

PRIORITIES

Objective One

PLAY focuses on empowering young people with the necessary skills to participate in and foster collaborative attitudes towards peacebuilding. PLAY creates safe spaces where youth learn constructive ways to communicate.

Objective Two

PLAY encourages civic engagement by promoting youth participation with municipal councils. By developing a youth engagement strategy with local civil society and government organizations, PLAY encourages youth voices to be considered in community decisions.  

Objective Three

PLAY helps youth develop leadership skills to promote non-violence and non-discrimination.

KEY RESULTS

• Trained 123 youth in critical thinking skills, peer-to-peer education, conflict sensitivity, and civic engagement.
• Provided training on conflict identification, mediation, management and analysis skills, and the role of women and youth in conflict management to 68 young men and women.
• Provided advanced training-of-trainers courses on leadership and conflict sensitivity, reaching 85 young people to improve their ability to positively engage with one another and increasing the reach of future activities. 
• Completed six  ‘Cucina’ podcast episodes focused on issues important to young Libyans, including empowerment in peace processes, equal opportunities for women, and engagement in civil society.
• Supported 90 youth to launch ten community projects, including debate sessions about the role of young people in peacebuilding, youth leadership, unemployment, and combating hate speech.
• Completed ‘Peace Projects’ to improve public spaces by adding green spaces to city entrances and cleaning public gardens in Bani Walid. More than 70 youth volunteers worked with municipal councils, civil society organizations, and community members to provide safe, clean community spaces.
• Launched the “Voice of Youth” campaign with a camp that brought more than 40 young people from the cities of Misrata, Tawergha and Bani Walid to show solidarity and share their experiences and skills.