Al Hassan Bakkar

When war stops, the bullets fall silent, but hatred continues to grow, dividing society and destroying its unity. Meanwhile, conflicts predict the collapse of the nation. This is why we must take action to prevent its total loss.

My name is Al Hassan Bakkar, a civil activist and a specialist in peacebuilding and conflict resolution programs.

Since my childhood, I have been aware of the power of volunteer initiatives. My choice of studies spotlit our society's need for such initiatives and their importance in transformation. I felt that I could help my country.

My journey into social work began on the streets of Benghazi in 2021. A young man piqued by the state of his country, trying to shape a fresh outlook on community work amidst conflict. Benghazi was struggling to rise after years of loss, and I was working in a local civil society organization to help bring change.

We approached the youth from all walks of life, from those split by war to those suffering its consequences. We provided them with aid and support to learn beneficial skills.

In 2022, we established the Perpetual Peace Dialogues and "Berenice" peace Forum projects in Benghazi, training youth in peace building, which brought together 35 participants from across Libya. Both projects were to strengthen community cohesion using historical symbols as a tool to build a communication bridge between groups.

We faced many obstacles in the beginning. We endured skepticism and fear of change due to the lack of awareness and the chaos after an era of war. But we didn't need anyone to believe in us to continue.

Our society suffers from derogation, violence, and numerous issues caused by wars. However, the biggest dilemma is the skepticism toward social work and the disbelief in its relevance in building peace and resolving conflicts. That's our reason to work hard to bring change and show the youth the power of community initiatives.

I hope that Libya's problems will be resolved by its youth, and that we build the present we desire, far from conflict, violence, and societal disintegration.