Benghazi – An Italian delegation of 17 experts and managers from various companies and institutions is currently in Benghazi to prepare for the revival of the city’s historic center in cooperation with the Libyan Reconstruction and Development Fund, according to Italy’s Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper.
The group represents ten Italian organizations, including professional offices and specialized companies. The main phase of the project will focus on turning survey and design studies into concrete actions on the ground.
The initiative covers nine historic buildings. Five will undergo full reconstruction, while the other four will be restored and preserved based on field assessments, mainly along Omar Al-Mukhtar Street and in the city center.
The project will particularly focus on the Sabri district and the old city, both of which feature early 20th-century architecture.
Development efforts are not limited to individual buildings. The plan aims to revive the mixed-use urban fabric along Omar Al-Mukhtar Street and downtown Benghazi, where homes, shops, food and textile markets, gold workshops, places of worship, the municipal building, and the city’s lighthouse are located side by side.
Preserving heritage is closely linked to the vibrancy of the public squares and spaces surrounded by commercial and craft activity.
The report placed the initiative within the broader program to rebuild eastern Libya. Revitalizing Benghazi’s historic center aims to preserve architectural identity, boost the local economy, and create new opportunities for technical and commercial cooperation between Libyan and Italian firms.