Roger Jones - Libya--Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

eISBN: 978-1-85733-608-5

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library

Copyright 2008 Kuperard

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission in writing from the publishers.

Culture Smart! is a registered trademark of Bravo Ltd

First published in Great Britain 2008
by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd
59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8446 2440 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8446 2441
www.culturesmart.co.uk
Inquiries:

Series Editor Geoffrey Chesler

Cover image: Door of the Gurgi Mosque, Tripoli Medina. Brian McMorrow

The images are reproduced by courtesy of the Libyan General Board of Tourism and Traditional Industries.

The images are reproduced by permission of the author.

Images Luca Galuzzi

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What does Libya mean to you? To historians and archaeologists it is home to some of the most spectacular Greek and Roman ruins in the world. For soldiers it was a famous battleground in the Second World War where Allied armies fought against the might of Rommels Afrika Korps. To statesmen and political observers it has long been a rogue state that has aided and abetted revolutionary and terrorist movements.

After years in comparative isolation Libya is opening up again. Its relations with the rest of the world have now improved, and with the lifting of sanctions it is likely that more outsiders will have a chance to visit it both for business and for pleasure. The time therefore seems ripe to reassess the country and its people.

In 1950 this Arab country situated on the southern shore of the Mediterranean was one of the poorest nations on earth, and with its three distinct regions (Tripolitania, Cyrenaica, and the Fezzan) was far from being a unified entity. Everything changed when oil was discovered, and Libya has never looked back.

To many the country and its people are an enigma. It is an Arab country unlike other Arab countries. It is an African country, but it doesnt feel like Africa. For the uninitiated, the Libyans are difficult to fathom. But their values and attitudes have been shaped by their past and traditions, many of which date back centuries. Libyan territory has been occupied by Carthage, Rome, Arabia, Morocco, Egypt, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, and Italy. That is why some appreciation of its history is essential in order to understand the sensibilities of Libyans today.

This slim volume aims to offer an insight into the Libyan people and their view of life. Such information will enhance your stay in their country and ensure that you do not commit too many faux pas. There are chapters on customs and traditions, and the rapidly changing nature of modern Libyan life, with advice on what to expect and how to behave appropriately in different situations. For the business traveler there is guidance on how to deal with government structures and policies, and how to make the most of the opportunities that present themselves.

Above all, Culture Smart! Libya should help you to become acquainted with a nation of resilient, outgoing, and friendly people who, when they greet you with the words ahlan wa sahlan, are completely genuine in their welcome.